Go through the Darkness
by LunaUnistar
Summary: The female protagonist is self-created. The story starts in the most turbulent year - Harry's seventh year. The protagonist goes to Hogwarts in that year, and starts her journey in the magic world. In later years, she found out that both Severus Snape and Tom Riddle are still alive, and thus began her fascinating stories in this world.
1. Been reborn

**Chapter One**

July 13th, 1986.

In a hospital in London, a child named Virginia Wichester was born. As to the hospital, everything seemed to be perfectly normal, and the mother, cuddling her new-born kid, wore a jaded but satisfied smile. Well, nothing is quite special about this, except that the infant clearly realized that she was born with memory, the memory of her last life before she died.

Oh, there's something else worth mentioning: That noon, a singing rendition named 'Saving Lives' took place in the gym of Whelmbry, London.

Viginia, a quite common name, bearing the meaning of ' _Spring_ ' in Latin, represents vitality and holds her parents' best wishes for her new life.

Well before this – in her last life, her impression towards England existed only in books and films. Traditional British films always followed tightly the vague and greyish pattern in its making, and ironically, even if the play itself was frisky, you wouldn't help but have a feeling that England was just a black-and-white photo that lacked the necessary colors and vitality, and that British men were all gentleman-like and distanced.

Now she has to admit that even in her real life, London the city is a bit colorless; especially when in fall and winter, it always appears greyish and damp, partly due to the reason that Britain is immersed in ancient buildings and thus creates a feeling of history. The only color that impresses her deeply is the red of the telephone box and the double-decker bus.

However, she has to say that although British men are all gentlemen indeed, they are not all such distanced and among them many are easy-going. Compared to American English, Virgina favors British way of speaking. Its pronounciation, tone and pace seems to lack the usual fluctuation of emotion, but the end of a sentence is, nevertheless, always in a up tone. It's so special that they use language and pace to express their emotion instead of tone, thought Virginia.

In the past, Virgina's only longing towards 'Space Traversing' is that one day she would wake up twenty years behind of time bearing her memory with her and she would still be herself. Life would be different because she would have known what were to happen. However, after this incidence, she finally realizes that things happening in the world will not always compile to one's will.

Virginia reckons that if she had not always pitted against herself her last life's memory and feelings when free, her life here below should generally be going on well.

She lives in a middle-class family now, and their financial situation, in regard to their status, is relatively comfortable and well-being. Dad started the car business quite early and when she was born, they had already owned a house in the center of London city and a townhouse in the outskirt of London. Near the townhouse flows a lovely river about twenty meters wide, and scenery alongside is quite enjoyable. The family used to travel there from time to time and stay for several days, Dad fishing and Mum treating neighbors with afternoon tea. Or if they were free, they would go to Spanish seaside for a sunbathe. Dad bought a cottage near the sea in Spain for her little princess when Virginia turned three, and she has become a property-owner ever since.

Perhaps because she is indeed a grown-up adult deep down inside her bone, Virginia finds it quite hard to play along with kids of her age. She never stays with them except for class time and in leisuretime, she often does some reading, reminiscing the past and deliberating the present. However, except for this, she has never appeared too special. Her study is just so so and she never displays any amazing talents. Her parents both love her very much and uses a great amount of time to stay with her. After all, pretending to be a kid when near those who stay alongside you too often is probably as difficult as flying empty-handed into the space, and the process would be too energy-consuming. So she would never pretend to be puerile when facing them and this makes her a mature and steady child in the eyes of her parents and their friends.

When five or six years passed, in the sweetness of her parents life, most of the memory of her last life has faded. Occasionally, a causal word or a paticular act might still brought up her memory, or perhaps even a familiar scent, and, of course, those movies she had watched, but usually, such sadness wouldn't last too long.

Only several of her old habits were kept, such as her prejudice towards black tea and dessert. Many new habits are formed as well, such as listening to news every morning. Dad keeps reading the _Taiwu Times_ newspaper at breakfast and keeps mentioning a thing or two through the process, or asking for her thoughts tantalizingly as a kind of entertainment during breakfast.

Talking about breakfast, it's worth mentioning that having been accustomed to rice and tea, Virginia finds herself unberable to the sudden change into potato, and moreover, food is much more monotonous now: except breakfast, almost all the meals are consisted with beefsteak or lamb chop, except perhaps some fruit, and she hates dessert; even the butter bread is unbearable now. So she simply calls for meal of all countries, eating one kind in a turn: French, Italian, Japanese, Indian,etc. As to Chinese food, most of them are Guangdong style. Virginia enjoys salty and flavor-rich food, thus finding Guandong food a bit unwonted. She takes French dished mostly, but she has had enough of chips and mashed potatoes, which are main dished in French culture. She misses rice and buns deeply and her face always twists in a sorrowful way when seeing bread or potatoes.

Finally one day, she pushed her dad out to buy a small package of rice in chinatown and mum to buy a electric cooker in the supermarket. They tried to cook rice that night and Virginia, standing on a chair, cooked a traditional Chinese dish. She was only five then and had not enough power to settle the pot, so finally she was giving orders to her parents to do this or that. At long last, everthing was ready. The family, sitting around the table, seemed to have dazed, and only Virginia was eyeing rice with great excitement until mum asked her tentatively, 'Gini, let's call some French dish, all right?' Virginia turned red and accepted.

It has been clear that until that baffling day to come, the only thing that bothered her was rice, or the weather, or some incurred memory, or her primary school classmates planning some pranks. In general, her life had been easy, colorful and comfortable.

1995.

This year Virginia is nine, and one more thing seemed to have bothered her. In fact she had almost forgotton until one day the newspaper had some saying about British cattle problems that mad cow disease was going to spread. So she began banning beef in the family and unfortunately found that she was the one most influenced by this, because most of her dishes consisted beef and now she had to change into chicken or poke. Then she remembered bird flu and wine flu. It seemed that only sheep and fish are safe. If these two were to be proven problematic one day – well, it would be horrible even to think about.

Happy time always passes quickly and Virginia has turned ten now. To be honest, she has developed a good sense of belonging to her family. Dad, though strict and earnest during work, always dotes on her and trys to satisfy her demands. His most frequent words when going out is,' What does my little girl want when Daddy comes back tonight?'. And mom is always the virtuous 'accomplice'.

But basically she had little demands. At first she would randomly ask for some childish toys to walk through her dad, but gradually she found that no matter what she asked for, it would appear in her bedroom at night, or even things that she never required, such as dolls or toy houses that she might be able to understand, but what really drove her made were things like transformers, model cars and toy soldiers, or even toy dinasours that surely belong to boys.

Finally she realized that such action cannot be allowed and in one charity show, she sent out all the toys, packed in delicate packages. In the praising eyesight of her parents, Virginia believed that all these things would reappear in her bedroom unsealed that night, so she had no choice but to have a talk with her dad, saying that if she really needed anything, it would be children books or cookbooks. She even illustrated that she loved the tellurion her dad sent her once, and then she had a sudden idea – this year a new type of computer system, Win95 is coming out, so she could have a new computer. Though computers of that age were heavy and dull, she could not expect more until Win 98 comes out in the future.

So she demanded a new computer to Dad, and by the way talked a bit about her ideas of computers and the future development of IT industry. Dad listened quite carefully. Virginia didn't know that Dad's friend Uncle James had similar thoughts about IT industry and was strongly advising dad to invest in it with him. Dad hasn't decided yet, but having heard her little princess' ideas, mature or not, it would be a important signal. After all, if he misses the business opportunity that even a ten-year-old girl could see easily – well, it would be so embarrassing.

So that settled the matter and the family were all glad about the decision. Viginia would never see her bedroom culttered with toys. Dad started his significant investment in his life. And of course, with a happy husband and an equally happy daughter, Mum is quite satisfied as well.


	2. A letter with a huge shock

**Chapter 2**

Five months later, Virginia received the first-ever computer in her new life: At her eleventh birthaday, she was pulled out of bed by Daddy into the hall.

She knew she should have behaved in a way of ecstasy and excitement in facing this ' _antique_ ' , but when she glanced at it upside-down she found it hard to do so. Taking out the instruction menu, she wasn't surprised to find that it was even inferior than handphones that are to appear several years later. Nevertheless, she had to admit that she felt solaced to have witnessed the antique stage of computer. It was her first time to see computers in such a state – in her memory of her last life, even the earliest computers she had used in cybercafes, though big as well, were a bit more advanced than this. At that time, cybercafes were settled in a ground-floor flat with two rows of computers inside. She remembered that at first she was intimidated at the idea of entering cybercafes and when she wanted to do so, she normally had pretended to be just passing by, surreptitiously putting her feet on the stairs leading up with her heart beating like mad.

These memories again brought up her sorrow for a small while.

'Gini?', asked Dad, clearly puzzled by Virhinia's reaction: Was it gladness or surprise?

Virginia took a deep breath, turned back, and returned a perfect smile. Her light-red nosetip harmonized gently with her fair skin. All these seemed so lovely in Dad's view that he pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead: 'My dear little girl, nothing matters more than you being happy.'

Virginia's tiny hands now tightly placed themselves on Dad's sleeves, head burying in his waist with mouth up. She restrained the impulsion to say that owning such a dad was her happiest thing in the world and no present will ever find a match.

The computer has been settled in Virginia's bedroom. Mum turned her head and scoffed at the pair: 'Kindly prepare for breakfast and don't forget that we have to get ready to welcome Aunt Annie, dears.'

The pair broke up reluctantly. Twinkling their eyes towards each other, both made a peculiar grimace and then went to wash seperately.

It was near noon. The family drove to the cottage in the field and welcomed Aunt Annie, whom, by seeing Virginia from far away, quickly rushed out and shouted: 'Ohhh Gini! My little lovely Gini has grown so much! Come here!'

Virginia lost her head on this, not knowing whether she ought to run tiptoed and lung into outstretched arms of her aunt who, though having lived out half her life, still kept herself in constantly high spirits. Afterall, Virginia was not a kid of three or four years old anymore, and she consoled herself by telling herself that she was still young and lunging into a hug remained justifiable. Yet many years of departure had witnessed Virginia's stretched body, and she strongly suspected whether Aunt would be able to lift her up. Above all, it was Virginia who hoisted herself up everytime before.

Aunt Annie, as nicknamed by everybody, being the sister of Virginia's grandmother who has already passed away, is a lovely old lady. Actually, calling her an old lady always seems odd, partly because Aunt Annie possesses quite a different personality from Virginia's grandmother. Annie enjoys playing and loves travelling. She wears a face that looks merely forty. It is said that foreign ladies grow old rapidly and in this case, judging from either her appearance or her spirit, Aunt Annie has been clearly segregated from her age. Her skin is soomth and tight, and only by laughing can the crow's feet near her eye corners can be noticed. Her perfect hair is often curled above her shoulders, which makes her even more energetic. Such an aunt can never be related with the word ' _old_ '.

It has been five or six years since Virginia last saw her aunt, yet she did not appear even a whit older than before but looked even younger. This is so inconceivable. Virginia thought of _elixir of life_ , which seemed a bit too implausible. Is it that Aunt Annie encountered vampires and then turned into one of them to keep her eternal youth?

' My little Gini has forgotton auntie?' said Annie with her arms still outstretched, seemingly on the edge of tears. Mum pushed Virginia slightly from behind and she had no choice but to run tipdoed into the long-waiting hug of her aunt. She hugged Aunt Annie tightly in the waist, preventing her from attemptin to live her up again.

'Hold up your head for me,' said Aunt Annie, stroking Virginia's slightly curled hair, 'Oh how beautiful our little princess already is,' sighed her; 'It's auntie's fault that I didn't come to see you for so long that my little Gini does not remember me.'

Virginia was totally lost by this and lowered head slightly, pretending she was shy, 'How can I possibly forget you, auntie? It's just you are younger than I expected.'

'Oh please forgive me for being so philistine,' prayed Virginia secretly, 'I really had no choice with such a dear aunt.'

The car is parked well and Aunt Annie shouted, 'Lunch is ready. Now come in quickly.'

The family had a wonderful lunch. When her parents are chatting vigorously with dear Annie, Virginia siezed the opportunity and flew outside toward the river. Taking off her shoes and holding her dress, she carefully put her feet into the running water. Wow! Virginia held her slightly up with eyes half-open, sunlight gently stroking her face. Greenish grass is just within her reach. She circled herself around in the river water.

Suddenly a thought emerged: How can she ever feel dissatisfied while living such a prominent life? She needs only to embrace the present and value it whole-heartedly. Though she values it now as well, she felt she has been too passive about life. What she needs is to be a little more active.

At this precise moment she heard birds flapping wind in the music of running river water. It seemed so close, though she felt that something is deliberately seperating her and that sound. Then suddenly a shirek ringed and there indeed restsed a bird. Opening her eyes, Virginia felt that the sound came from the front of the house. She stepped out of water and ran along with her shoes in her hand. Carefully stealing a glance, she was disappointed to find noting there. She sighed and looked up. The cloud has grown thick and seemed a bit darker. Maybe it was going to rain.

She came to the front of the door and sat on the doorsteps, putting on her shoes slowly. She held up her head and sighed slightly. At that moment she noticed a letter in the bush behind the letter box. Virginia walked there and picked up the fate-changing letter.

This was a rather peculiar letter. The letter used parchment that has a mysterious yellowish color, which engulfs you with a sense of significance and appears rathor time-worn. There's no stamp – oh yes! On the upper side of the envelope writes the address and adressor. Virginia felt confused. She turned it around and was again surprised to observe that it was sealed by wax, and then she noticed the symbol – it took only two seconds that she experienced the process of feeling familiar toward recognizing what it meant – and then her foot was rooted to the ground – she was completely confused now.

Holding the envelope in her hands, she stood on the trial before the door. Then rain fell down as though it knew it should now.

She came up to her sense and glanced at the envelope. "It was just totally nonsense," she thought semi-somnambulistly," I just didn't remember it correctly. " Perhaps she wasn't familiar with the symbol anyway; she just know the four animals on the symbol; it was just an accident… maybe not.

Her other sense was shouting with all its might – You are a Muggle-born!

Rain came down as though ice-cold water was being emptied above her head repeatedly. She ran forward, conciously hiding the envelope behind. The three adults was amazed to see her come in with her hair wet. Aunt Annie aroused first and asked, "When did you go out…. Is it raining outside? Go and find a blanket quickly." So she stood up and went to find one.

Dad replied, "No need, Annie. Just let her have a shower, and be careful not to catch a cold." And he gave Virginia a look that clearly indicated her to go upstairs and take a shower.

Unfortuately it was a bit late. Said Mum quickly, "She must have gone to the riverside behind. You haven't told us! You have to drink a large bottle of hot milk later, as a punishment. Now go to have your shower!"

Usually when Dad gave her such indications, Virginia would immediately so as she was told to, but today she seemed a bit dull. Usually after Mum said such things she would make a grimace befor going upstairs, but she didn't today. Instead she ran fast upstairs.

Dad and Mum exchanged a glance. " Gini seems a little quirky today, doesn't she?" said Dad first. "I shall go upstairs to check." Said Mum.

Dad stopped her, " Just let her have a shower first. We may wait."

Virginia, on the other hand, ran into her room and shut the door and had half a mind to lock it. But her sense prevented her from doing so. She went into the bathroom and locked its door, then turned on the shower. The room was suddenly full of noise produced by water.

Now she took a deep breath and sat down. She tried to clear her mind and began checking the letter carefully. It was indeed her name on the envelope, but the adress is peculiar – she had't been here for months and had not ever told anyone about this address. How possibly would people write to her?

And she shut her breath, turning it over again. Indeed there was a huge letter _H_ in the middle of the symbol. On the left-up corner is a lion, right-up a snake, left-down an eagle and right-down a badger, if she didn't wish to deceive herself.

She glanced at the letters she initially ignored. The letters clearly read "HOGWARTS", and below it is "DracoDormiensNunquamTitillandus", apparantly not written in English. It looked like Latin, but above it is surely a name of a school.

Virginia hesitated: whether or not to open it? If she chose not to, she may tell herself that it was perhaps only a hoax made up by Rowling before her new books come out.. She knew it was only self-deceiving, but if her house was buried in letters later, it would surely make her birthday the worst she ever experienced.


	3. Amusing dream? No

**Chapter Three**

Virginia was sure that this year's birthday would never be normal and joyful. She felt annoyed but couldn't find anything to do.

She was in a complex mood. If she really had been a eleven-year-old girl, she would have got very excited; but she wasn't at all excited. The story she read in her last life before she died had been obscure in her memory, but afterall she had an overall impression about it. It was like the story of mermaid: no matter how many years passed after you read it, if ever someone mentioned the story you would remember that at the end of the story the beautiful mermaid princess became bubbles in the seawater, while the prince married another princess – well, if it comes to details, perhaps most people would become prevaricated then.

During her last life, Virginia had an unfortunately poor memory. Even when she was young, she couldn't remember many simple things. But her memory can be recollected if she sees familiar people and things in front of her – these things often arise her recollections.

She tried to use this advantage as self-relief but couldn't feel happy.

If you think this is a fairytale, then it has left Virginia a very strange impression. She didn't feel most impressed by the plot; instead, she had complex emotional feelings, obscure and gloomy. She felt that it was nothing like a story for children – except that the protagonists were kids, most of the older generations had passed away. She suddenly felt sarcastic about it.

O'right, she admits that she was still reluctant and possibly afraid to open the letter. She didn't wish to accept the cold reality. But all that should come will come. She takes a deep breath and opens it with stiff fingers, and rigidly takes out the contents. There are two papers. She unfolds them slowly.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Acting Headmaster: Severus Snape

The second line was like a bolt to her. Virginia couldn't read the following words. Now she feels more shocked than at the time she was reborn in this world, even more than when she received the letter. She even forgets to breath but hold her mouth slightly open. Her eyes are not at all focused, just like she was stuck by the bolt.

She holds this position for somewhat like a century, till the bathtube was filled with water. The noise of water slopping over finally catches her attentions. She turns her head, again automatically.

Late when she thought about it, she couldn't account for her own actions. But now she walks toward the bathtube and sits down inside it, as though the noise of water is completely inaudible to her. It wasn't till the hot water warms up her body that she finally allows her sense to come to the real world. Then she laughs at herself. Now she knows it's never a hoax made by Rowling, althogh the plausibility in itself had always been very small indeed.

She puts the letter on the closet beside. Now she doesn't feel able to keep on reading it.

She immerses her whole body inside the hot water and thinks slowly. If the headmaster of Hogwarts now is Severus Snape…. Well, why not? She lately seemed to have forgotten to consider her birthyear.

She stares through the water in the bathtube. Everything seems so unreal, as though all had been a rather ridiculous dream.

Then she suddenly sits upright. No, it was never a dream. She had parents who love her; she had her own peaceful life. Nothing can damage this. She couln't deny her ten years of very happy life, but she admits that she was truly a bit frightened.

The fact that Severus Snape is the current headmaster of Hogwarts reveals several truths: First, Albus Dumbledore has already died. Second, this is the darkest year in the wizarding world. But she couldn't come up with anything else.

Has the Boy Who Lived been at Hogwarts this year? She had no memory about that.

When was Hogwarts attacked? She hasn't the slightest thought as well.

The only reason that drove her to read the last book of the _Harry Potter_ series was that she wished to know how Severus Snape ended. Now she thinks about that – it was nothing curious about the fact that he was bitten to death by the huge snake of Voldemort.

What was the name of that huge snake? She still has not the faintest idea about that.

She has not at all the slightest advantage in the magical world! That was her final conclusion.

She cannot go to Hogwarts, because firstly her own safety is threatened, and then, most importantly, she doesn't know that she herself can do magic – oh magic! She considers it such a preposterous dream.

Appealing to the common sense, if she really is a witch…. A genuine witch…. Surely she should at least have encountered unusual things during her growth? Such as the so-called magical riot and sudden outburst of magic? That when she gets excited or angry, her surroundings should be influenced? That she should have to some degree damaged something if she gets into a temper?

All right she has to admit that since she was born , it never occurred that she lose her temper. Getting into an anger? Well, it seemed that she lived such a happy and satisfying life that she even didn't care to value it. She now regretted that deeply.

And surely, if these things ever happened, she would never have so ridiculously imagined that she be a witch. She would rather think that she possessed special skills, which, when heard, seemed much better than a witch.

Imagining herself on a broomstick, wearing a pointed witch hat and clocks, circling in the sky, Virginia though it as ridiculous as it can be.

No! She can never attend school there! Absolutely not!

Again reality has irrefutably demonstrated that not everything in the world conforms to people's will.

A slight knock on the door suggests Virginia's mum's presence, whose voice echoed, "Gini, are you all right? You have been in there for a long while."

Virginia was a bit flustered. She crambled out of the bathtube awkwardly, shouting at the same time, "I'm alright! I'm coming!" Unfortunately enough, her feet slipped, and she fell back to the bathtube, inhaling in a small amount of water at the same time.

Virginia's mum stopped knocking and called again, "Gini?"

"I….. I am alright!..." and finally did she came out of the bathtube. She quickly covered herself with a bathrobe, looked into the mirror, and casually rubbed her face. The girl in the mirror appears nice, with a ruddy face, and the hair sticked to her cheeks, neck and shoulders like weed. She attempted several times to make her hair appear fluffy, but in vain.

"Gini?", called Virginia's mum again.

"I'm coming! I'm coming!" Virginia inhaled deeply and opned the door with a smile on her face.

"Mummy!", she clutched at her bathrobe and stretched out her tiny head. Seeing her mum's worring face, she was suddenly overwhelmed with a feeling of guilt. She walked out and hugged her mum.

Virginia's mum pulled her daughter into a deeper hug. Thinking about the abnormality of her daughter just now, and comparing it to her daughter's weak action now, she felt even more worried. If Virginia ever grasped a bit of her mum's thoughts, she would surely feel quite doleful. Heaven knows she hardly ever appear so sentimental, despite that she was indeed a bit weak then.

"Virginia,", Mum seldom calls her name so formally, and she is staring at her as she never did before, " You should know that no matter what happens, you can feel free to tell me and your dad. There's no one in the world that cares about you more than we do. Maybe someone in the future will care about you equally much, but no matter when and where you are, me and dad will ubconditionally stand beside you, do you understand?"

Virginia burst into tears. Tears slipped out of her eyes and quickly disappeared within Mum's clothes. Such an overpowering feeling of touch caught her up that she wasn't at all prepared. She nodded silently and clutched her mum more tightly.

At this time Dad came out of nowhere. She leaned on the door, watching them with a smile, till they felt a little embarrassed and broke apart. Then he said, " Oh my dear little princess, let me hug you as well." Actually this sounded a bit sour, and so they both laughed heartily.

Virginia smiled and pushed her parents out. She took with the door and stretched out her head and said, watching them, " If this gentleman and this lady should agree to wait till their little girl has dressed herself, then their little girl will have something important to tell them."

"My honor.", they both answered, and Dad pretended to take off his hat, bowing slightly.

Virginia closed the door and gave off a relaxed, long breath. She ran to the cabinate in the bathroom where the letter still lies.

She unfolded the letter and lay it on her bed. Dressing herself and drying her hair and at the same time glancing quickly over the content of the letter, she found that all conforms approximately consistently with her memory, save the signature of the headmaster. Deputy headmistress is still Minerva McGonagall, and the school starts on September 1st. All was same as they should be in any normal school, but she was a bit nonplussed by the line which instructed her to send back her responses with an owl before July 31st. She never had any owl; she even never touched a cat.

And then there were the textbooks and witch robes and so on. She was completely bewildered by these books. As to the wand, she had to admit that she was really a bit curious about it.

She automatically ignored the costumes, but how about the pots? Pewter pots? Pots made of wax? Well, she knew that pot meant cauldron, which is used during Potions lessons, but she still deemed it comical. Pots made of wax, weren't they molten when kindled? Then how can they be used to make potions?

Then according to the letter, all students are permitted to bring a pet with them ,either an owl, a cat or a toad. Well, now she understood why Neville brought the ugly toad with him. What she couln't grasp was why Ron was allowed to bring a rat. Perhaps it was because of the nobility of Ron's family, and the school made an exception in his favor?

She thought that if she were to go to Hogwarts, she would certainly refuse to take a toad, which makes her sick even by glancing at it. She wouldn't consider the owl as well, because letters can be sent with school owls. She would opt for a cat. A cat surely matches her well.

She suddenly cut short her cranky ideas. Now that she has made her decision not to go, she shouldn't be imagining the life there.

Magic? Her life will certainly not be disturbed with or without it. Moreover, she has never in the past found out that she had the least magical talent.

She put away the hair-dryer. Standing in front of the mirror, she felt much more comfortable than before. She picked up her letter and came out of her room.


	4. Unexpected development

**Chapter Four**

Seeing their daughter came down stairs, Dad and Mum stopped whispering. They are actually more tense than Viginia is at the moment. Although they both feel that any oddity of their daughter occurred from just now, they still reckoned that perhaps they disregarded something before. Maybe their daughter has long hid something in her heart, but she certainly pretended very well indeed, so well that until just now they haven't got a single clue.

It seems now clear to them that they had such a clever daughter that it is reasonable they haven't found out before. Dad and Mum are very proud indeed at the moment, because such evident truth is irrefutable.

They sent away Auntie Annie, and had a short discussion. They thought of the possibility of their daughter falling in love. Or maybe some kind of boy is in love with her secretly. Oh yes, their daughter is so clever and premature, but she is still a little girl, so she is bound to feel confused encountering love.

They have decided to be tolerant and let Virginia make her own decision. Their lovely little princess surely will not let them down. Although it is true that in his heart, Dad has already beaten the little boy to a thousand pieces for hundreds of times, saying indigenently that this is my little princess, he still appears smiling inadvertently, despite it was a rather stiff smile.

However, when it comes to that they have to discuss with their daughter this problem, they become really nervous indeed. They now counsciously feel how well they have been free from worrying about their little princess. They have never consumed too much energy on Virginia like other parents do. This sudden occurrence certainly has thrown them into a muddle.

But reality proves to be quite contrary to their imagination. Compare to the parents, Virginia is rather relaxed at the moment. Her adaptation process has passed. At least such a striking bolt has passed that what she now worried is how she should talk to her parents about this. How should she say so that her parents can quickly grasp hold of what is happening. Or should she maybe hand in her letter directly? Or…. Maybe…. no, because surely her parents would regard it as a ridiculous hoax.

That result may be better actually because so that she has more reason not to go.

Having reached her decision, she grinned broadly and handed in the letter, saying, "I found this letter in front of my room just now. Maybe you should have a look at it." Then she gave it to Daddy.

The development of the affair seems to go in the same direction as Virginia had anticipated. Both parents reckon it ridiculous and must be a hoax – well, a high-leveled hoax then. After carefully examining the paper and the writing on it, Dad came to the conclusion that the writer of this letter is truly imaginative, in that the writer came up with ideas such as using an owl to send letters, and all these magic books, and archaic styles of letter-writing, along with the act of using wax to seal the letter – only British royal household and nobilities do such things nowadays.

Then the parents begins to feel extremely worried that it is possible their little princess has been tailed by some unknown guy so that the letter was sent here. Virginia tried to offer solace by pointing out that there's no stamp on the letter, meaning that the letter surely isn't sent here by normal post. Dad and Mum recognized this point quickly, but they now think that the bad guy is somewhere near the house. They decided to alter their journey to leave here immediately. Still having to celebrate their little princess' birthday, they canceled the plan to stay for a day and headed straightaway to Spain.

Virginia here holds a different viewpoint. She is thinking about what the letter said, the part requiring that she return replies at the end of this month. She thinks that if they just wait till the end of the mount, maybe something will come out. But seeing the worried faces of her parents, Virginia simply cannot bring herself to say that these are not at all hoaxed; they are real. Then, how would she explain why she thinks they are real? Surely she can never say that she had read a storybook in her last life?

….She has decided to remain taciturn and say no word.

Then the whole family, taking on an innocently unwitting Aunt Annie, is now hurring toward the port of Plymouth to get on the ferry that heads for Spain.

Virginia sits on the board, watching her dad talking to the captain, and signs slightly. It is only too unnecessary to have so much trouble; the original plan is so comfortable that there's no need to change it…. Then she turns her head and goes back to enjoying the seawind.

When they finally landed on the port of SanSebastian in Spain, the sky has grown quite dark. Arriving in the cottage on the shore, all of them are exhausted. So they all went to bed seperately.

Virginia lies in her bed; listening to the sound of sea wave outside the window, she now comes to think about the magic world, which she now feels truly unreal, even absurd indeed. Perhaps it was really a hoax, thought Virginia. Then she fell to sleep and became unconscious.

The birthday week in Spain leaves Virginia a really comfortable mood. SanSebestian has the most romantic beach in Europe. And the seafood here is quite brilliant. Virginia lies lackadaisically in armchairs near the sea all day, relishing lobster while enjoying the hot seawind. It was an excellent ecperience.

Hogwarts? She now completely forgets it.

Back to London, Virginia is suddenly pulled back to reality. She realizes that she has to make some preparations in case, so she wrote a solicitous reply with formal handwriting, with content stated like below:

She is surprised and pleased indeed to receive the invitation letter, but it is a pity that she really does not have the ability to perform magic, and she does not wish to stay away from her parents, least of all leaving in a completely unknown place. So she cannot attend the magic school, and she does feel sorry indeed.

After she finishes her writing, she folds the letter in two halfs and puts it into an envelope. She seals it with glue and writes directly on the envelop:

To Minerva Macgonagall

And she threw the letter away in her drawer.

The parents haven't changed their atitude towards this affair, but they seem to pay much more attention to the security problem of Virginia. They stop letting her take the scholl bus every day. Instead, Dad takes his time to personally pick her up. Not wishing to let them worry, Virginia took no issue with this.

Time fleets and the end of the month comes. Today is Wednesday, July 31th, 1996. In fact, as it approaches July 31th, Virginia grows more curious. So when the day comes at last, Virginia gets up as early as the sky grows pale. It is just five o'clock, but she cannot go back to sleep. So she runs to prepare food in the kitchen.

After about half an hour, she hears sudden knocks on the window in her room. The knocks follow a distinctive rythem, and sounds clear in the tranquility of morning.

She has correctly guessed that it is an owl. She reaches for a piece of cheese and trots to her room. As she had expected, and owl is hovering outside her window. Virginia does not dare to allow it in, so she quickly picks up her letter from the drawer and opens the window just wide enough to thrust the letter out. She first breaks the cheese and gives a small piece to the owl.

The owl unceremoniously takes the cheese and lifts on of its legs. The small pouch on its leg doesn't seem able to take the letter. It seems that the owl is instructing Virginia to put the rest of the cheese in the pouch.

Virginia thinks it interesting indeed. Laughing heartily, she thrusts the cheese inside the pouch. The owl appears satisfied and takes back its leg. Virginia now takes out the letter and shows it to the owl – well, after loading its dice against her, it has to do its duty at last.

Obviously, the owl has realized this as well. It quickly picks the letter up in its mouth. Virginia does not loose her grip because she is a bit worried whether the owl can withstand the heavy rain outside. However, the owl pulls the letter again. Virginia watches it carefully, and it stares back, seeming to say that if you do not loose your grip quickly, I shall not serve you anymore. Virginia quickly does so, and the owl flaps its wings and takes off.

"Gini? You are up so early. Doing something there at the window?" Daddy said, watching her daughter.

"Just now there were a bird at the window side. I was wishing that I ccould come up here to have a close look. Unfortunately, it flew away." Virginia sounds pity indeed. She didn't mention the letter. She believes it best not to mention it at the moment.

"Well, come down and close the window then. Do me a favor to pick up the newspaper, would you? Daddy shall make breakfast for my little girl."

Actually, Daddy woke up at the moment of the knocks on Virginia's window. He went to her room to check because he was constantly worried these days.

But when he sees her daughter at the window side and heres the sound of a bird flapping its wings, and after the clever explanation of her daughter, he now completely believes her words.

So, thinking that everything has been solved, Virginia finishes her breakfast lightheartedly and goes to school in Daddy's car, not knowing that the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall, upon receiving the letter, has decided to visit the Winchester family personally.

So at noon next day, another letter appears in front of the door of Winchester Manor. At this time, Virginia is still at school, feeling a headache created by the noise made by primary school students at class intervals.

The letter is picked up by Mum, who, upon reading it, solemnly calls Dad, who rushes back at the news.

So, when Virginia comes out of her class, seeing both her parents standing there waiting for her, she feels an ill bode. But nobody says anything, and there exists a quirk ambience on the way back home.

Upon arriving home, Virginia has told the truth of her "crime" in less than two minutes, and has earnestly demonstrated that she lets the owl take away the letter out of pure curiosity.

Then she cautiously asks to have a look at the new letter. Exchanging a look between themselves, her parents give her the letter.

The letter looks exactly like the one before, except that the adress is their new home here, and recipients are the Winchester family.

Taking the letter out and unfolding it, Virginia reckons herself wise for her candidness, which makes her appear less passive.

The letter says that the deputy headmistress of Hogwarts Minerva McGonagall says that she has received the letter and feels pity about it. But she thinks it was because the Winchester family does not know a lot about Hogwarts School. So she says she is quite willing to personally pay a visit to their manor and aid them in gaining a general view of the magic world. After that, if they still holds on to their decision, she will have no opposition about it. As to the problem mentioned in Viginia's letter concerning her showing no magic talent in all the eleven years, McGonagall says she is as well a little surprised because such condition is quite rare among students; indeed she has never encounterd such a precedent before, except for Squibs. But because Virginia is Muggle-born and has been admitted to Hogwarts, she thinks the problem must have been something else. She will help to find out at noon in August 3rd, when she visits them.

Virginia, holding the letter in her hand, does not know whether she is excited or bemused at this moment. Professor McGonagall visiting her family? But surely it is the darkest time in the magic world now? And the Order of the Phoenix is pitting its best against the Dark Lord? The safety of Hogwarts is threatened, so how can such an important personage like Professor McGonagall bother about her, a child of Muggles? She cannot understand it.


	5. Nighttime deliberation

**Chapter Five**

Seeing the worried faces of her parents, Virginia thought for a while and said, "Not to worry, no matter what happens, we shall know about it the day after tomorrow, shall we not?"

Obviously her words did not achieve the desired result; her parents do not reckon it as a simple escapade any more, but think all these quite abnormal. Dad sits straight and says seriouely, "At first I thought we should have called the police and inform about this, but considering that these guys will only see this affair as a simple prank, not a real threat…. Well, you'd better stay at home tomorrow. I'll inform the school about your absence. As to the day after tomorrow, let's wait to see what kind of guy the comer is."

Virginia felt a bit nonplussed, being caught in this situation. Nevertheless, she had to keep going on.

The waiting time is always long. That night, Virginia stayed quite awake, recalling past events in her last life. The story of magic seems a long way away; she could only recall impressive moments. As to the details, she has no memory at all.

But all she is sure is that the year is the most turbulent year in the entire story series. Albus Dumbledore has just passed away, and Severus Snape becomes the headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as desginatedm by Lord Voldemort.

If she remembers correctly, at this time the Ministry of Magic is already completely under his control.

Virginia starts dreaming wildly. Severus Snape? Lord Voldemort? These are the characters that impose on her the deepest impressions. Well, admittedly, these are perhaps the only two people who can leave deep imprssions on readers. They seem to be alike in many ways: similar family backgrounds, similarly sorrowful life, similar even in their pursuits. One seeks love for his entire life without ramifications, even sacrificing his life in the end; another seeks tyranny and limitless ambitions, paying at last his life and soul.

Perhaps the most intimate in her memory was Albus Dumbledore, and of course, J.K Rowling's main character, Harry Potter. Though he was a bit reckless, he was truly courageous, and, most importantly, he was luckily successful in the end, wasn't he? He made it, despite of the unaccountable sacrifices in the process….

But when it comes to say how Harry Potter beated Voldemort in the end, Virginia hesitated. Did he overcome Voldemort by his own abilities?

No, surely not. If she would like to admit, it was luck. Harry didn't know he can live through this turmoil and stay alife, not to mention overpowering the mighty dark wizard. He didn't know. He was prepared to die, and when he was hit by the Killing Curse at the last moment, he felt relief. Everyone, including himself, did not know that things would progress in this way originally.

Only Albus Dumbledore had some understanding about all these, reckoning there is the possibility that Voldemort might die the way he did.

Not knowing that he unwittingly made Harry into a Horcrux, Voldemort's numerous failures, including failing to kill Potter, arose out of his ignorance. He had been a madcap – this is the most suitable word to describe him.

He treated lives with indifference, so indifferent. He payed no attention to what he should have done, so he failed.

As to Harry Potter, was he really able to stand up to the mighty dark wizard who split his soul into seven pieces and stayed powerful even after that? No, of course not; he himself felt it was so ridiculous.

The ending of the story was such a miracle; Virginia didn't even understand why Dumbledore could assert that Voldemort created seven Horcruxes, just by virtue of the short memory? Yes, seven is indeed a most magical number, but if Voldemort himself was ignorant that he unwittingly made Harry Potter into a Horcrux, then obviously he should have created another. How then could Dumbledore make sure that Voldemort hadn't already made seven Horcruxes before Harry Potter? After all, Harry was just an accident.

At this moment, Virginia felt her thoughts entangled in her mind and couldn't unravel them.

There's nothing perfect in the world, not even literary works.

In children's literature, good and evil men are well distinctive from each other. This is because children are naive, and the characters should be so in children's books. In real life, however, it is an entirely different story. After all, there exists no perfect being on Earth, and defects make people more real.

But at least Rowling did not insist on this point throughout the whole tale.

Dumbledore, for example, is not always so kind toward people. Once a time he regarded Snape as a disgusting guy, and when Snape came to entreat him to save Lily…. Virginia couldn't easily forget his countenance at that moment. That countenance appeared on Albus Dumbledore's face for the first time then.

He also derived that Tom Riddle was a bad guy just because of his first impression and unilateral words he heard. He took it for granted that Tom needed constant surveillance, and did so personally.

He was an addict of dark magic for a time and couldn't resist the lure of the Deathly Hallows. He had ignored his family, betrayed his friend, forced and sacrificed others for his own greater good.

Lord Voldemort, on the other hand, was indeed outstanding, no denying. But his personality was highly defective. He trusted no one and was aimlessly arrogant. He had been persistent, even fanatic; he made seven Horcruxes for what purpose? Well, for avoiding death. But actually, it was his dread for death that led to his death and unbearable agony.

Severus Snape, indubitably, was also persistent in his love, even naive. No matter why he fell in love with Lily in the first place, a childhood hidden love with no ramifications had influenced his whole life; this is enough to tell how sincere he had treated his love. But still we can perceive imperfections of human beings. He had been glommy and negative, and it made people constrained to get on with him.

Oh then there's Potter, Harry Potter, the main character of the tale –

Potter, perhaps the only truly positive character in the series, was righteous, honest, and rendered good for evil. He put his friends in the first place and respected his elderlies. He longed for kinships and his heart was depresses but not distorted. He didn't appear cynical in encountering difficulties, even though he was credulous, reckless, smug, and easy to be influenced. But he never went wrong in making decisions. He was still a kid, so we couldn't demand too much for him, could we?

Virginia thought of herself. Yes, she had to admit that she wasn't an entirely good guy in all there is to say; this is decided due to real circumstances. If she had been born like Seveus Snape or Voldemort this life, she may not become as evil as Voldemort in the end, but she will absolutely not be a good person, a girl of sunshine; this is too much for her. So she couln't deny at all that Harry Potter truly deserved the main character of a fairy tale.

Of course, if condition allowed, she is willing to be a good person, but when she comes to think of it, she would never push aside all obstacles to be a good person, an honest guy. She wouldn't wish to pay any price; but surely being a bad guy pays more prices, and she was less interested in doing so. When she had choices, she would prefer to find an aboveboard pretence for her conducts, making them seem more justified.

Now she dreams up a good word to descibr herself – a hypocrite.

And now Hypocrite Virginia felt a bit sleepy, so she dumped all these thoughts and allowed herself to fall into the drowsiness brought about by the pillows.

She didn't know that after only a very short time, her thoughts will experience tremendous changes, because real life is not a book she can comment at will, and all these will eventually become a part of her life.

Then she had a dream, a more ridiculous one compared to real life, a completely illogical one. In the dream, she saw herself splitting her soul into seven pieces, creating seven house elfs with each one of them, and all seven attended Hogwarts and also worked in the Gringotts wizarding Banks, but she herself still worked gingerly everyday as a Hogwarts house elf, constantly hitting her head on Hogwart's stonewall, until at last, she was woken by her hits, and at the same time the alarm clock ringed.

Sitting up and feeling at lost, she pressed down the button of the clock and stared blankly at the already pale sky outside. She felt her head aching, recalling suddenly the last scene in her dream, and trembled unwittingly.

Oh! She took away the quilt fast and ran to the washing room as though something was chasing after her.

After washing and rinsing, she went into the kitchen and served herself with a cup of hot water. Watching her mother making breakfast, she finally felt warm and real. The dream seems a thousand miles away now. She smiled to herself and enjoyed the cup of water.

"Why get up so early? You don't have to attend school today, dear. You may go back to sleep if you wish," Mum said tenderly. Virginia shaked her head quickly and replied, "No thanks, I am already awake."

"Then come here to help me dear. Take the fried egg into the plate along with bacons, and arrange them well. Bring daddy his coffee then. The coffee beans are already pulverized. He should be coming soon."

"OK," Virginia responded willingly, and finished the apportioned works with agility. Taking the newspaper from the table, she began reading today's news.

"Morning, my angels," hands suddenly taking newspapers from Virginia, Daddy's voice appeared from behind, "Dears, let's see what we've got today…. Wow, blown up together, shall we?"

"Well, drink your coffee, and you may wish to go to Virginia's school personally to ask for a leave. Now there's nothing more important than our Gini." Mum went outside with a large pot of British tea. Because of Virginia, they haven't had any black tea for several years. This is green tea, Virginia's favorite tea.

"Right." Dad closed the newspapers and bended slightly, kissing Gini on the forehead, "Our little princess is surely most significant; nothing could harm her."

Then he coughed. Seeming to notice that he wasn't gentlemanly just now, he pretended to be seriously lifting up his jaw.

Virginia wiped her face calmly with a paper tissue and said, "Perhaps you should first obtain the permission of a lady next time."

Dad grew red and coughed again. Taking the coffee cup in his hand, he opened the newspapers and hided his face behind.


	6. Professor Mcgonagall's visit

**Chapter Six**

Saturday morning, Virginia's parents sits sternly to face what is going to happen. The family gobbles down their breakfast quickly and sees Dad standing beside the door. He keeps looking out of the windows on the door, but nothing is happening.

Virginia thinks it was all amusing but didn't dare to laugh under in such serious environment. At once, the doorbell rings. A women with strange clothes was standing outside. How did she came here? Dad was confused. He just turned back his head for a few seconds and she appeared, as though out of thin air, and rings the doorbell of his family.

He reached the doorknob, hesitated, and opened it.

"Good morning. You must be Mr. Winchester. I am Minerva Mcgonagall, professor at Hogwarts. I mentioned in the previous letter that I would be coming."

Dad is furthur confused. Obviously the woman in front of him is in her fifties, and judging from her look, she must be a serious woman. He thought of those stern old British women of noble families. But this one dresses quirkly. She is very tall, and wears a green cloak and a pointed black hat. She says she was the one who wrote the letter.

Dad tried to push away the amusement and leaned slightly and said, "Well, let's come in and chat." He thought it was no good standing there.

Virginia sees her dad going to the other side, and a tall witch walking in. Mum goes to welcome her.

Soon enough, everyone sat down. Mum is a bit restricted, and Dad seems lost for words. Professor Mcgonagall breaks the silence.

"As to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, I quite understand about your confusion. Hogwarts was built a thousand years ago and grants invitations to children who are eleven years old and has special talent – magic. Professors at Hogwarts teaches them how to use and control their power." Coming to this, she sees Virginia's Dad has something to say, so she stopped.

"I think I've never known such a school." Dad spoke.

"Yeah, I think so. If it wasn't for Virginia's magical talent, you might not even hear of Hogwarts for your entire life." Mcgonagall explained.

"Sorry, but I think all these stuff are ridiculous in themselves, and Virginia never showed any magical talent. She is a normal child." Dad wasn't convinced, and seems getting a bit angry.

Professor Mcgonagall is clearly unaffected by the change of attitude. Again she speaks calmly and sternly, "As to this point, I think we can have a small test."

The parents suddenly sits bolt upright as though wishing to prevent her from taking their daughter away.

"Ms. Winchester, please get focused and follow me in saying, 'Accio Cup!'" The cup in front of Mcgonagall suddenly flew into the air and landed in her hand. No water was spilled. Then she looked at Virginia encouragingly.

Virginia looks petrified. Seeing it for herself is completely different from seeing it on TV. When the cup actually flew, she felt every cell in her body got excited. She completely ignored the astonished parents beside her.

But when she did as Mcgonagall told her to, the cup didn't flew into her hand like Mcgonagall's just did. The cup just shaked a little. But it was obvious, so obvious that the parents saw it clear enough. Not reviving from the scene, they heard Virginia shouting again, "Accio Cup!"

This time, the cup really moved, but it spilled out the tea and broke into pieces.

"Excellent, very good! Now I think we can confirm that Ms. Winchester is truly a little witch." Mcgonagall said excitedly and took out her wand. She pointed it at the cup and said, "Scourgify! Reparo!"

When Mcgonagall was praising their daughter, the parents revived a little, and at the instance they were going to help Virginia get rid of the spilled water, they saw Mcgonagall taking out her wand. Dad reacted naturally to shield his daughter away from it, but he was again driven into astonishment by the following events. Firstly all spilled tea was gone; secondly the broken pieces were repaired tracelessly, and a "new" cup stood in front of him on the table. It was as though they had gone back in time.

Was this a dream?

"Mr. And Ms. Winchester," Mcgonagall spoke, looking at the parents, who were still in surprise, "Ms winchester certainly is a little witch. As for why she didn't show her talent before, I think it may be an accident, because almost every witch and wizard shows uncontrolled magic during their growth, before coming to Hiogwarts. This was often caused by sudden burst of emotions. I have to say that this is something you would be proud of, because it proves that Ms. Winchester either has natural abilities to control her magic or she never has experienced extreme emotional bursts."

She stopped for a while and continued, "Usually, after getting to know about Hogwarts, if you still decide not to let her go, we couldn't force you to attend Hogwarts. But firstly, as she ages, her magical power grows as well. Although she seems able to control her power well now, if she does not attend Hogwarts, then we cannot guarantee no sudden burst of power happens in the future. Also,…."

She suddenly stopped as though not wishing to go on, but obviously she had to, so she continued, "Also, the current condition of the magic word was not pleasant. There is an evil force that exists in our word, and it is also persecuting the Muggles, you know, non-magic people like you. Well, we call guys like you Muggles, and guys like Ms. Winchester muggle-borns, which means little witches and wizards with Muggle parents. Now this force has taken control of the Ministry of Magic, the ministry of the magic world, you know, who also control over all young witches and wizards. Well, if Ms. Winchester does not attend Hogwarts, in fact we cannot guarantee her safety. Only of she decides to go can we professors take care of her safety. And, although the ministry is currently persecuting muggle-borns, but now, every young student who is now going to school will not be inquired if they can provide any prove that they have magic relatives. As to this, I think we can come up with some prove for Ms. Winchester."

"So I wish, sincerely, that Mr. And Ms. Winchester, if you would want to keep your daughter safe, please let her go to Hogwarts." She paused, taking her hat off and continued, "I feel sorry indeed for this."

The countenance of the parents experienced a long process of change. They are getting increasingly nervous and sits alongside Ms. Winchester at last as though wishing to protect her in this way.

Virginia just recovered from using magic when Mcgonagall mentioned all these. Although she was prepared for some disturbances, she didn't think things would go this way. She finds it hard to accept all these. Not mentioning whether her parents can accept the fact that she is a witch, now her safety is in question, she knows that naturally, her parents would feel very concerned.

She speaks in a serious tone, "I decide to attend Hogwarts."

Dad watched her in a complicated manner and turned to Mcgonagall, "I think we need some time for consideration. If it is OK, shall we perhaps arrange another time to meet and then we could give you our answer."

"OK. If you are available, maybe I shall go back a week later. If you decide to let her go, I think I have to take her to purchase necessary equipments."

"No problem." Dad agreed.

Mcgonagall was gone. Dad seems to be in a constantly nervous state. He keeps working around in circles in the living room and throws occasional glances to his wife and daughter. Virginia has nothing to say. She guesses that her parents must be confused; even herself is. This comes so suddenly that she doesn't know what to do.

If she didn't take this matter so lightly in the beginning, not thinking that she could avoid all these by not going to Hogwarts so she could get herself away from such dark periods; if she tried hard to convince her parents that all these things about magic is real and so does Hogwarts, things may not be so bad like now.

If she didn't send the letter, will Mcgonagall come to her home to talk about all these? Virginia thought she was cheating herself by thinking this way. Even if her family all agreed that she can go, Professor Mcgonagall would still come her for herself and explain everything.

She cannot guess about what is going to happen or what would have happened instead. All she can do now is to let her parents accept all these and not to get them worried.


	7. A day for shopping

**Chapter Seven**

The convincing process went well, because obviously the parents have got no choice. Well, not truly in that aspect, because Dad thought if things were as serious as Mcgonagall had said, then the whole family could move out of European, and Mum agreed.

But eventually they were persuaded by Virginia, who said that Daddy's investment had just started. Moving out of Europe almost means giving it all up, which is not only bad for themselves but also for their cooperate investor, Uncle James. Also, her parents have a lot of friends around this place. If they left, how should they explain their reason to these friends?

Well, these surely aren't the reasons that truly persuaded Dad. What functioned at last was the point that Virginia is now defined as a witch, so if sudden bursts of magical power, such as Mcgonagall said, truly happened, then surely someone will get hurt, if not worse. So the parents were persuaded at last. Dad glanced the tea cup at the table and sighed a long, soft breath.

This day, the whole family slept late and no one actually fell into sleep. Daddy got up several times and went to watch her seemingly asleep daughter, and didn't know how he should react to everything happening around him. When he returned after another visit, Mum consoled him tenderly, "Well, think about it in a good way. Our daughter is always so mysteries and fantastic. She knows what she is doing. Magic? Even if she turns into a superwomen, she is still our daughter, forever."

"Oh yes, right, right…," Dad sighed and hugged his wife, "Of course I know. I'm just worried about her; she still so young…."

"She will take care of herself. I know she will." Mum sounds on the edge of tear, and she hugged back her husband. Her shoulders shaking a little bit in the air.

Virginia walked with her bare feet and leaned over the door of her parents' room, listening to all these. She burst into quiet tears, whose meaning is also a mystery to Virginia.

Yes, the tear is proud. Virginia is proud that she has such wonderful parents. And it is also sad, for she is leaving them for quite a long period of time. And the tear was also out of shame, because she thought if she has no so-called magical powers, then the whole family can just live happily everyday, not facing the coming goodbye, and the parents won't need to worry about her safety when she is alone at Hogwarts. And then the tear is firm. She promises quietly but firmly that she will look after herself, for her parents and herself, to go through this hard period safely and avoid any possible harm.

She went back to her bad and shut her eyes again.

A week later, when Mcgonagall went back to visit them, the whole family was quiescent. After hearing about the decision of the family, she knodded slightly and proposed to accompany Virginia to purchase her school stuffs. She promised to be back before dinner and asked the parents not to worry.

But Mum was still a little nervous. When they went away, she sat silently on the sofa and seemed out of her mind. Dad consoled her gently beside and waited, but he wasn't that relieved as well.

Just as Virginia had pictured in her mind, Professor Mcgonagall didn't take her the way that half-giant Hagrid took Harry Potter, finding the bar first and going to the Diagon Alley through the wall. Instead, she took her outside the house and apparated with her together.

They reappeared in a small room. Virginia didn't notice its features at first, for she felt sick after apparation. Then Mcgonagall said beside her, "Due to the special condition now, we cannot purchase things in a normal way. I've already purchased necessary things for you, including new textbooks. All you need to do now is to choose a wand. This I cannot help you. This is Mr. Ollivanders, who just inherited her father's work. He will help you choose the most suitable wand.

At this time Virginia noticed how quirky the room she landed in is. It is rather small and composed of thousands of small boxes, all arranged in a special manner.

She store several surreptitous glances of Mr. Ollivanders, who looks old and distressed. He wears a pair of glasses and looked at Virginia kindly and said, "Good morning, Ms. Winchester."

"Good morning, Mr. Ollivanders." Virginia replied politely.

"Right. Now let's get to it directly. Which hand do you usually use?" He took out an ancient, strange ruler and asked.

"I'm right-handed." Virginia replied. She allowed Mr. Ollivanders to take careful and accurate measurements. She noticed that he used no notebooks to write down the measurements. He remembered them all in his mind.

"Every wand here is distinctive and has no replica," he introduced, "Everyone has a core, where magical power comes from. We use the hair of a unicorn, the tail feather of a phoenix, or the heartstring of a dragon in making our wands. Of course, there are also exceptions, which are very rare."

"The wand chooses the wizard, Ms. Winchester. Among all these wand only one suits you best, and it will choose you," he added.

Then he spoke to himself for a while and took out a wand from a box carefully, "Try this one please, dear. Unicorn hair, seven inches long, easy to bend."

Virginia felt her heart thumping a little, but nothing actually happened.

"Well, then try this one, yes, this. Nine inches, heartstring from a Welsh dragon, long and elegant."

But still this wasn't the right one. When she picked it up and waved it slightly, huge circling cyclones happened in this room. Virginia quickly gave it away, and the wand seemed happy to leave her hand as well.

"Right, it's not this one." Ollivanders sighed.

After many more trials, Virginia stilled hadn't found her wand. Even Ollivanders said, "It was the first time I meat such a peculiar custome like you. I have just recently taken over the work of my father. Oh yes, very picky you are, uprecedentedly picky."

"This one. Let's try this one," said Mr. Ollivanders, who lightly rubbed off the sweat on his forehead and pushed the box in front of her. She took it up almost mechanically, but this time something strange happened. It was as though all her tiredness had suddenlt gone, disappeared into thin air. And the wand tip begins to glow sligtly. The wand light is not offensive, and makes her confortable, as though coming from a mother's eyes, soft, warm, creating a feeling of happiness and safety.

"Incredible!" Mr. Ollivanders seems beyong his control. He exclaimed excitedly, "Oh yes, gingko wood, eight inches, the core coming from a new-born unicorn. Yes, this one was very impressive. We seldom use tail hair of new-born or young unicorns. This is a special exception." He seemed to have recalled something, "Now this is your wand, Ms. Winchester. I think it is truly glad that it has chosen you. The wand chooses the wizard, Ms. Winchester, this is an ancient tale, but always too true."

Professor Mcgonagall, who is standing beside her, smiled and knodded as well.

"Thank you!" Virginia is truly grateful to this old man, and his sweat on the forehead makes her a little sorry.

Professor Mcgonagall helped her pay the money for the wand, six galleons. And now she realizes that she didn't bring any money. Oh yes, she hasn't any money like this kind, the golden galleons. When she went out, she brought with her Daddy's credit card, but Professor Mcgonagall seemed not going to bring her for money exchange.

When she began to think about this, Professor Mcgonagall spoke beside her, "This took a little longer than I had expected. I think we have to be quick now. Ms. Winchester, please take my arm."

Virginia followed her by grabbing her arm tightly and inhaled deeply for a moment. Another apparation didn't bring her any confortness. She still felt sick, and thought it fortunate that the wand was in Mcgonagall's hand, because if it was in herself's, then she would have surely thrown it away during the apparation.

Then she hears strange noises beside her, noises coming from all kinds of animals. Well, pets. She seemed to have completely forgotton this matter.

Ms. Winchester, please choose your pet. It will be your company for the future years. And then we shall go to make your school robes.

When she came home at night, Virginia sees her parents sitting on the sofa as though wishing to know what she had done during the day. But she lay down on the sofa and was too tired to move.

Staring at all the things on the floor, she said, "Please, let me sleep for a while, just a while…." And then she felt asleep instantaneously.


	8. On the train

**Chapter Eight**

When Virginia woke up, it was already late in the morning. Opening her eyes, she sat dully on the bed, and them suddenly jumped to her feet and shouted, "My Gigi!" Yes, that was the pet she chose to buy yesterday – an owl. Although she said previously she would choose a cat, she still took an owl instead because apparently an owl will make contacting her parents much easier.

She quickly walked out into the living room. All things necessary for school, which she bought yesterday, were still lying on the floor as she expected. Her parents, who seldom slept last night, heard her shout and asked hurriedly, "What happened? What is Gigi?" Both seem to be very worried.

"Sorry, Dad. Sorry Mum. I was too tired yesterday so I felt asleep rightway and didn't get up."

"You looked drowsy indeed last night and didn't eat anything before sleep. Come here and have your breakfast first, dear," said Mum, who looks at her daughter in pity.

After breakfast, the whole family sat beside the dining table and Virginia related what had happened yeasterday. As she spoke, she got rather excited, and at last she took the cage in her hands as though holding a precious jewelery.

"This is Gigi, and she will become part of our family from now on. She's a bit small but is really quiet and obedient." Virginia glanced at her confused parents and couln't stop feeling that Gigi was truly very quiet, even after it was buried under large piles of things for an entire night. "You shouln't look down on her just because it's small. It can help deliver your letters, and is quite easy to raise. I'm planning to take it with me to Hogwarts first, and after having settled myself down, I will send with it a letter to home and then it will stay here. You just need to feed it some owl food everyday. I bought a lot yesterday. That will be enough for the whole semester." Virginia continued, "It is really a good owl. If you miss me, you just have to write a letter and let her take it to me. As for me, I have already asked Professor McGonagall. She said there's an owlery at Hogwarts. I'll be able to borrow one to send letters to you, so don't worry."

"All right," said Daddy, "Our little Ginny is truly considerate."

Virginia felt a little touched but nevertheless continued with her tale. At last she mentioned, "I've exchanged a lot of money to use so you don't have to worry about that. And I have especially asked Professor McGonagall. Hogwarts has teachers who take care of students all the time. So I'm OK." Well, of course Professor McGonagall said nothing like that, and she isn't stupid enough to have asked anything like that. She just said so to lessen her parents' worry. And what she had said was not completely a lie. Hogwarts indeed has house-elves, but they aren't human of course.

And then she showed her parents the fantastic galleons and nickles she exchanged yesterday. Dad said in a quirky manner, "Your school is truly ancient by the look of it."

Virginia suddenly sat down in the chair and said solemnly to her parents, "I will write to you often to tell you what's happening around me there. I can take care of myself. Please trust me."

"'Cuz we trust you deer. We are worried just because you are our daughter. If we do not see you for a moment, we will get worried, even if we know you are safe."

Virginia bowed her head slightly and started playing with her fingers, while mumbling to herself, "I'll take good care of myself. I will…."

Whether she is persuading her parents or herself is not clear to us.

And then everything went normal as though nothing had ever happened, until time flew away and September 1st finally drawed on.

At King's Cross Station, Virginia looked down at her ticket and then looked up at the wall. Well, the supposed wall looks actually just a jamb. She is even worried whether she will run aside when she goes through it. Virginia planned to go here earlier so she will be able to get on the train earlier and find herself an empty box. She wants to avoid making contact with too many people.

Going through the Nine-and-three-quarters platform, she is surprised to find that everything is quite OK, as though the platform had been casted an Overlook Charm so that nobody would notice her and her owl. At the other end of the platform stood her parents, who just hugged her in turn to say goodbye. It was nervous and strange, and Virginia didn't dare to look back at her parents, because she was afraid if she did, she would again go to them and refuse to leave again.

The Hogwarts Express is just there in her view. Looking at the red train with a dark nose, Virginia felt herself going through the time again. Ancient England, you're rushing at me so fiercely….

She found an empty box and settled herself down and started writing the very first letter to her parents. The box is indeed commodious and comfortable. She originally planned to take a camera with her here, but then denied the thought, because she tells herself to try to avoid being noticed by others this year.

Then she felt asleep in the warm sunshine. When she awoke again, she was startled by the girl sitting oppsite to her. When did she come in? How could she sleep so deeply as to fail to notice anything? This is strange.

"You must be a new student. I'm Olliver Hill from third year. You can call me Olliver. When I came in you were fast asleep, so I didn't wake you up. Please don't mind that," said the girl. "There's no seat elsewhere."

Virginia sat up and replied politely, "I think I do not mind at all. I'm Virginia Winchester. Glad to meet you." She smiled slightly. And then the two felt silent and didn't talk much. Virginia understands that during such special periods it is unwise to tell a stranger much personal information, and she quite agrees. She doesn't feel like wishing to talk with other people at the moment.

She took out her school robes and dressed herself. When the train finally arrived at the destination,, it was all dark. Olliver had told her there's no need to carry her bag, which will be sent to her dormitory later. And she noticed there're few first year students here. She sees uneasiness, scrupulousness, and even gloom upon every face, which is compatible with the dark surroundings.

Along with the other new students, she followed a professor with her head bowed low. She even failed to notice who the professor was and what he looked like. When their boats floated silently in the calmm water and turned a corner, many first-years got rather excited to see Hogwarts with its spectacular castles that shines in the darkness. Under the castle, stones form peculiar shapes near the lake side. Virginia, on the other hand, couln't drive away the heavy stone in her heart.

Maybe if she attends Hogwarts a year later, she would have felt happy, excited, and quick to accept all these fantasies, unlike the scrupulousness she forced herself to exert now. But now she could only keep telling herself to keep a low profile and do not ever wish to save anyone. She has to keep herself away from all those things. She knows that perhaps some people will die this year, but she firmly vows to herself that she will stay among the living people.


	9. The sorting

**Chapter Nine**

In the amazement of nearly twenty first-years they arrived at the foot of the huge castle. The students climbed out one by one onto the stone ladder and saw Professor McGonagall standing there in a rather serious manner. The professor who just led them here whispered to Professor McGonagall for a while and left them in her charge.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. You will enter the room just behind me after a while, and you will be sorted into one of the School Houses there. Hogwarts has four Houses. They're Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin…. Now follow me please. The new term feast is waiting for you."

Virginia had been absent-minded when Professor McGonagall was talking, and so she skipped the parts when she was talking about honors and House points. She kept looking at the door behind Professor McGonagall as though there was something exciting happening behind the door. Then the door opened, and they walked in behind Professor McGonagall. It was slightly different from Virginia's imagination: the castle was still lit with thousands of candles, but she couldn't feel any warmness. She saw the ancient sorting hat sitting on the wooden tool and frowned a little. She had read in the books that the hat could judge a person by "looking into his or her heads", but she didn't reckon the hat could perform Legitimancy, and every individual is a complicated being. She couldn't understand how the hat could judge a person. From personality, emotion, or memory? She got slightly worried out of no reason and even forgot to look for familiar faces on the professor table. She didn't even care about which House she will be in. The only worry that occupies his entire mind now is whether the hat will see something it shouldn't.

As other students' names are called, Virginia kept her mind busy thinking about her past. She waited silently for the calling of her name, as though waiting for the result of a crime investigation.

"Virginia Winchester!" Professor McGonagall called her name at last and nodded slightly.

She pretended to be calm and sat down on the wooden tool. "Aah! Another student!" A voice rang in her head, "My little girl, you seem to be brave, but only relatively…. And you're not that righteous, and loves not working, so Hufflepuff won't be your destination. And…. You seems to be rather shrewd and clever, so maybe Ravenclaw is most suitable for you… But let me see… Yeah, maybe… Yeah… Ravenclaw!" The hat shouted its decision out aloud, and Virginia took it off and went to the Ravenclaw House table under the applause of the students.

"Welcome to Ravenclaw!" A rather familiar voice came from opposite her. She looked up and saw Ollivia Hill. She is probably her most acquainted student at Hogwarts now. "Thanks, I'm glad I ended up here as well," she replied.

And then a man in a totally black set of robes stood up from the professor's tables and started his speech in his characteristically emotionless voice. The voice made Virginia chill, "Before the start of the feast, I'd like to introduce two new professors. On my left hand is Alecto Carrow, your Muggle Studies teacher this semester!" The woman knodded at the introduction and the applause had been rather sparse.

He continued, "On her left is her brother Amycus, who will take over the Defense of the Dark Arts post." Sparse applause rang again and diappeared quickly as before.

"And now, let the feast begin." There's no welcoming message, no benediction, no notices for first-year students, nothing at all. This is Professor Severus Snape, no, headmaster, no, representative headmaster. That cold voice made Virginia chill again. She shuddered a little but was quickly attracted to the large variety of food that appeared out of nowhere in front of her. Such rich food was enough to make the stomach of a ravenous girl full. Then she scrubbed her mouth and looked up at the professor's table.

She spotted Professor McGonagall, who sat next to the headmaster, and she began to notice Professor Snape, who clearly had hooked nose and thin pale face. Virginia suddenly felt sorry for him but quickly dispelled her sensation. It's not her business, she told herself repeatedly.

Severus Snape looked up at the Ravenclaw table at the instant Virginia lowered her head. He felt a student was just staring at him and was surprised to find a student daring to stare at him in this way, especially in such situation. He stared at the new students each for a while and looked away.

Virginia felt a bit cold. She now wished to be in the dormitory lying on her bed. Ollivia seemed to have noticed her uneasiness and asked worriedly, "Are you OK? The feast's gonna stop really soon." She smiled.

Just as she said, Representative Headmaster Severus Snape led the school to sing the school song and pronounced the ending of the feast. Then he glanced at the Gryffindor table and said in a loud voice, "Better not let me catch you wondering around at night after curfew, anyone!"

A fifth-year student led them through the doors and ladders and came up at the Ravenclaw common room. He pointed at the eagle-shaped loop at the door and said, "Our Ravenclaw differs from the other Houses in that we don't need specific order to open the door. You just need to answer the question raised by the eagle loop. But be careful, because there's no standard answer to each question, so please show your wisdom." Then he turned around, and the loop asked, "Could the past be altered?" The fifth-year student thought for a moment and replied, "Nobody could twice step into the same river." The door opened. All new students found themselves in a circular room. Dark blue carpet shows star-like pattern, which emits a sense of low-profiled luxury. Many books lie on the high bookshelves and looks ancient. If you look up, you'll see a high vault directly above, which, although not as vivid as that in the Great Hall, is nevertheless beautiful.

Comfortable chairs lie on the floor and desks that hold approximately ten people stands in the room. Virginia stared around at everything.

"I think you're all very tired now. On the stairs the boys' dormitories are on the left while the girls' are on the right. You can find your names written on the door."

Thanks God really! Virginia could help thinking. She lies on her soft bed and had no energy left even to take out her luggage. Maybe she could get up early tomorrow, she thought, and felt asleep almost instantaneously after that.


	10. A rather intense mood

**Chapter Ten**

Virginia woke up early and fed Gigi. Then she wrote a letter telling everything that happened yeasterday. She then gave it to Gigi and sent her off to her home.

She knew she had to be quick to have breakfast and then go to a prefect to take her class schedule. She tried to recall the right way to her classes but was stilled afraid of getting lost. After all, this is Hogwarts, and you cannot guarantee anything.

Virginia was satisfied to have ended up in Ravenclaw, and she is most fortunate to be living alone. The room is in a bluish fasion, with dark blues matched wonderfully with light ones. The room looks pricess-like, and quite dreamlike.

But she realizes that she needs to be extremely careful out of this room.

She tried to smile to herself to make her confident and in high morale. "Breakfast, I'm coming!" She said in a low whisper.

Muggle Studies has become compulsory this year. Though there was only two classes each week, it was still a terrible experience. The Death Eater Alecto Carrow was completely a git. She is malicious toward all and always emphasized that Muggles are filthy and are not suitable for living on Earth. She devotes herself in tortuing the students, and no house distinction, although compared to Gryffindor, Slytherin apparently received relatively mild insults. Once she called Virginia in class. The timid look of Virginia seemed to have pleased her much, and she didn't tortue her too severely.

Amycus Carrow was a much more horrible case. He enjoys to do experiments on the students. He loves using any reason to give attention to the students and them use the Cruciatus Curse on them. He often asks the other students to perform the Cruciatus Curse, and if they refuse, they become the victims of another Cruciatus Curse. Virginia couldn't understand why Voldemort wished to have these two at Hogwarts. Well, maybe he wanted to have someone coordinating with him when he attacks here. This was exactly what the two loyal Death Eaters would love to do.

The first Defense Against the Dark Arts class skipped Virginia, who tried her best to keep a low profile among all Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students. But then she began to unerstand that just by keep a low profile won't help her through all the classes during the entire year. She has to take some measures. Although Professor McGonagall did send her some document that testifies her wizarding blood relations and she has already recited all of it to her heart, she still couldn't relieve her nevousness. Afterall, she is a hundred percent a Muggle-born.

So during time she has no classes, Virginia buried herself in Ravenclaw's private library or the school library. She needs to enrich her mind with all the knowledge she could master, even though she knew that as a firt-year student, many advanced magic are beyond her master. But then after some time she began to notice that perhaps due to a mature soul, her magical power wasn't so scarce as the other young witches and wizards.

And then she is often found beside Professor Flitwick, the head of Ravenclaw House. She often consults him for many advanced spells. As she said, though she may not be able to master much, she still could get an understanding of these. Flitwick often answers in a shrieking little voice and at the same time praises her for being hard-working.

So Virginia mastered a few useful spells in a very short period. The Neglecting Charm, which she thinks is what she needs most. She is worried to be noticed by others, so she keeps giving herself Neglecting Charms once every hour out of her dormitory in case of being noticed.

So at first Ollivia Hill kept giving her valuable advices but then she seemed to have forgotton that she ever exists.

She also learned the Disillusionment Charm by herself. After several trials she was satisfied with its effect. It is within the field of Transfiguration, and she did consult Professor McGonagall, who gave her a meaningful look and just stated some main points. Then Professor McGonagall told her not to rush for quick results and do things she couldn't.

Today Virginia went out to head for the office of Professor Flitwick, which was on the severnth floor. She wished to learn more about Apparation, but she understands that she could never practice it without somebody guiding her beside, unless she wished to die a rather painful death with her body ripped apart.

But she didn't reach her destination. Instead she nearly crushed with the headmaster, Severus Snape, who was striding across the floor. They stopped an inch from each other. "Oh, Ms. Wichester, Ravenclaw." He seemed to be sizing her. A second seemed to have stretched into a year for Virginia. Then, Severus Snape said in a strange voice, "It is said, that you are related to a German wizard."

That wasn't a question, Virginia was sure about that. She was too afraid to look up or even raise her head. It was such a stupid mistake not to put a Neglecting Charm on herself before going out.

Oh maybe this is fotunate, because if she did, she must have walked straight into him.

"Raise your head, Ms. Winchester." His voice was colder than death.

"I must look up! I must! Now look up!" Virginia demanded herself, but she still kept her head down, for she had no choice. She didn't dare look at him in case he saw something. She began to tremble from head to feet. The man opposite her had waited in silence for a long time; he seemed to be appreciating her disconcert. Finally he said, "Seven o'clock in the evening, Po-…Headmaster's Office, Ms. Winchester, for your irreverence toward the headmaster."

Then he strode away in his long black robe, away from her.

Virginia's mind began working when she returned to her dormitory. She was soaked in sweat. She finally gained her strength and started to mock herself, "oh I now see how timid I am. Coward!" Virginia said to herself through her teeth. If only she had acted more naturally, behaving obsequiously and following his demands, she might have been able to escape all these. She hit the ground with her fists fiercely. No it shouldn't be so!

She stretched her body and took out the letter from the drawer. She looked through Daddy's words. Her parents asked her to take care of herself and stay careful, and they told her to tell them anything she wished….. Her tears dropped down, and she took the letter away hurriedly. She put the letter near her breast and inhaled deeply.

"I can't cry!" She told herself. "It's not time for crying yet!"

She has to come up with what to do tonight at the headmaster's office. She certainly had to go there, but she couldn't guarantee that she would get herself into a similar situation. Ever since she came to school she had been afraid of looking at the eyes of adult wizards. She was worried about Legilimancy. She knew for sure that she couldn't bear the consequence of letting others see her memories.

As to the learning of Occlumency, it was her impression that studying Occlumency was similar to being beaten numerous times until you develop thick skin. She had no chance of receiving a beat, for she would be dead if she was beaten, so she could only learn it through her own trial and error. But she still had no idea how Occlumency should be performed. If no one performs Legilimency on her, she would never know how well she had learned it.

She had only one lesson in the afternoon, and that was Potions, which, very fortunately, is taught by Horace Slughorn. She couldn't even bear thinking about tonight.

For every problem there must exists a reasonable solution, she thought.

Then she wasn't focused at all during the entire lesson. She was able to explode with the slightest bit of fire. She was bursting, but she had to refrain herself from doing so.

She did remember to add a Neglecting Charm this time, but she didn't know how her feet carried her to the front of the headmaster's office. When she passed the Room of Requirement on the eighth floor, she began circling around the floor, saying under her breath, "I need a place to hide things." Unluckily, nothing happened. In fact it was not only because she was on the wrong spot but also because she wasn't concentrating at all. Her mind was fully occupied with scenes of cruel punishments later at the headmaster's office.

A dark shadow overshadowed her. "Obviously you had some inexplicable fascination of lingering at the corridors," the voice rang behind her, "Ms. Winchester!"

Professor Snape seemed to have come back only just, and Virginia found herself woeful because she was afraid of looking at him again. But the headmaster seemed failed to notice all these. He strode forward and bellowed, "Follow up, Ms. Winchester!"


	11. A trip to the headmaster's office

**Chapter Eleven**

Virginia followed Severus Snape. She really wished to turn back and run away, but it was just an unrealistic thought.

"Jobberknoll!" Snape muttered. It was so quirky a password that Virginia thought it must be somehow related to potions ingredients or dark magic. But she had no time to deliberate about that. She began to sweat again and called herself a coward repeatedly in her mind.

"Oh! That's a first-year student! From Ravenclaw!" a voice rang behind.

"What do you say does Snape want to do?"

"I think….."

"…Well, actually….."

The whole room was whispering. Virginia knew that these portraits belonged to the headmasters of Hogwarts who had already passed away. Did people realize that they spoke too little when they were alive after they passed away?

"Silence!" Severus Snape turned back suddenly. He glanced over the portraits on the wall and silence did fall in the room.

"Ms. Winchester," his voice rang as though he was merely reading a name from a paper, "I don't think you are as frightened as you seem to be. Oh yes, this is obvious. Now let's have a small test about it."

Stay vigilant, Virginia thought. She quickly lowered her head and entered into a highly stressed condition. Obviously Snape noticed all these, for his thin face seemed to show slight amusement, "Your wand! Ms. Winchester, give me your wand!"

Virginia took her wand out, trembling from head to feet. Recalling the situation of choosing the wand, she suddenly gained some courage. "What do you want to do with it?" she asked with trembling but clear voice.

"Ah, I need to examine it. Now I believe you should hand it to me." He said in a low voice.

Virginia reluctantly gave it to Severus Snape. "Very special…" Snape said under his breath, "Priorincantato!" He suddenly said an incantation loudly.

Virginia knew it was used to show spells she had performed previously. "Er…" Snape's voice grew quirky, "The Disillusionment Charm. Our clever Ravenclaw first-year Ms. Winchester has already mastered this advanced spell before staying at Hogwarts for even one week! This isn't some sort of surprise right? Ms. Winchester?"

As a spy, Snape is rather sensitive toward the surroundings. At the new-semester feast he noticed someone staring surreptitiously at him. He didn't discover who that was, but he didn't forget either.

He also noticed six first-year Muggle-borns who claimed to have wizarding relatives. He really doubted that, but he didn't have the interest to report them to the Dark Lord.

This Virginia Winchester is the only one of the six who ended up in Ravenclaw. He didn't observe her on purpose, but he noticed occasionally that she seemed not to be noticed by others. She had fair grades, not too outstanding but nevertheless acceptable. She liked to stay in the dorm or library during spare time. A knowledge lover, that wasn't perculiar at all for a Ravenclaw. But she seemed to be exaggeratingly careful.

She always kept her head down when walking in the corrider. At her height she cannot be seen by Snape at all unless she raise her head, but she still kept her head down. Well, maybe this is just one of her habits. If all these were not peculiar, then it grew more quirky – he stopped noticing her.

He was too busy. He was busy solving stupid problems created by the silly Carrow brother-sisters; he was busy dealing with endless troubles made by the reckless lions. And that damn DA, and he had to complete tasks from the Dark Lord; he didn't even have time to play with his dear Potions.

And that damn Dumbledore, asking the brainless Potter to do dangerous things! He thinks he had a fair understanding of what that was about!

So that day he nearly walked into the Ravenclaw girl, whom he had nearly forgotton. That was strange, for he was good at observing details. He had to learn about this.

Watching the quiet girl standing in front of him with her head down, Snape broke the silence.

"Oh, I wonder what Ms. Winchester has to do with the Disillusionment Charm. That was highly advanced, that was….. What did you do with it?" Snape said softly, but Virginia felt dangerous, so she answered carefully, "I just learnt about it to check how it works, sir." This time her voice was rather steady and she was surprised not to feel that nervous. She seemed to have got used to the situation.

This, then, was how to transcend one's limit. She thought ironically.

"You seem sepcial, Ms. Winchester."This time Snape assumed a cold voice, "According to my knowledge, your parents are both Muggles, aren't they? Now look at me and answer my question!"

But then he suddenly moved slightly back. Virginia felt the movement, and heard him shout, "Now go away! Get back to your dorm! Now! At once! And don't forget your wand! Ms. Winchester, we shall go on later!" Virginia suddenly raised her head and surprise was written in her pale face. And then she saw the pale jaw, bloodless mouth lips, thin face, the holy eyes, and…. the tightly grapped left arm.

Seeming shocked by Virginia's sudden raise of head, Snape was lost for a second before he loosed his grap pretendedly and shouted, "I said, go away now! At once!"

Virginia grabbed her wand and ran out. She ran all the way to her dorm and lied down on her bed as though a ghost was chasing after her.

That was a close shave and she first observed his face at such a close distance. She wondered whether she had ever seen a better match of face and personality. She took out her quill to write a letter to her parents, suggesting them to travel for a while, to Espa, to Hawaii, to Vegas, anywhere. They seldom go out themselves, and this was a very good chance to do so. They can bring Gigi. He can find his own food. And then she lied down but didn't sleep well the entire night of course.


	12. The Room of Requirement

**Chapter Twelve**

Virginia got up early the next day. Walking inside the castle, she came across the words "Dumbledore's Army, still recruiting" on the wall for the third time. She guessed this must be troublesome for the headmaster. She came to the eighth floor and gave herself another Disillusionment Charm. She seemed to be more careful than before.

She walked three times around the corrider and thought concentratively, " I need a place to hide my things." And luckily the place appeared. Admittedly, this was a large place, with almost everything inside it. This was as though you want to find a gem, but instead a room full of jewelry and it was harder to find a gem inside.

She thought of Ravenclaw's diadem. In the original series that diadem should be here now. She couldn't remember clearly, but she knew she would recognize it if she sees it. That pattern on the diadem was much too unique.

And she saw a cabinet, a rather strange one. That must be the cabinet used by draco Malfoy to transfer Death Eaters to Hogwarts.

She kept walking, looking for the diadem. And then she saw it, high up there. She had to reach it. She took a box and stood on it to take the diadem off. She took something in the vicinity and transfigured it into the same diadem. That wasn't difficult for her at all.

She carefully put the diadem inside her robe and placed the fake one to the original place. She looked at the diadem but suddenly seemed to be back to herself. Why did she do so! That was a Horcrux and she should keep herself well away from that!

She certainly met some sort of devil and was possessed by it just now. According to the originial series the diadem will be destroyed. All Horcruxes, including one inside Harry Potter, were destroyed in the end. If she took away the diadem, oh this was stupid! Lord Voldemort might come back in her own hand! She threw the diadem away forcefully but went to look for it then. And she fell over at the sight of it. She replaced the diadem and went out, giving herself another Neglecting Charm. But she found she had left the Transfiguration Textbook inside and had to go in again to take it. She took her textbook, a bottle of accidentally discovered Felix Felicis, the luck Potion, and a bottle with "LeitungsstarkeGegenmittel" on it. She didn't understand what the last one was, but she took it nevertheless.

Sitting down in the Transfiguration classroom, Virginia thought she should have transfigured the fake diadem back. She shouldn't have left it there. But McGonagall didn't come when the class started. Virginia felt strange, for McGonagall was always a stern and careful woman. She was never ever late for classes, so there must be some reason.

The students began to chat under their breath. She heard two Hufflepuffs saying, "I saw Professor Carrow in the morning….." Another disrupted, "Oh I would never admit that the two evil Carrows are Hogwarts professors. They are ugly Death Eaters!" Then they kept saying in a lower voice and Virginia couldn't hear clearly. In the end, one siad, "Oh alright. I saw her attacking Nevil Longnottom in the corrider just now. Longbottom was hurt severely from head to feet, and McGonagall went to stop her."

"And then?"

"….And then I ran away." Virginia thought Professor McGonagall might not be able to come today.


	13. A tense but excited life

**Chapter Thirteen**

Professor McGonagall did not come. She must have no choice, so she asked a ghost to send her words. The ghost should be Gryffindor, and he looks really polite here. He bowed slightly to the students and told them Professor McGonagall had some emergent matters to deal with and could not come, and then it went away, ignoring the Hufflepuffs who seemed intimidated by the sight of him.

Virginia didn't understand, for she thought the ghost had been very normal indeed, but she knew soon enough. The ghost, after sending the word, suddenly floated into the air and pulled off his head. Er… Virginia felt nauseous; she coughed fiercely. The ghost laughed and went away, leaving a room full of poor first-years.

She thought she knew who that ghost was. That must have been Nearly-Headless Nick.

A self-study class with no teacher, the students chatted under their breaths. Ravenclaws quietly read their books. Virginia thought herself very lucky indeed to have been put in Ravenclaw. If this was the other two Houses….. She trembled at that thought.

She started looking through her books while thinking about what she should do next. First she should master more incantations, and then there's Potions. She's not very talented at Potions. Although the Potions ingredients were really very disgusting, she could still do well with the help of the protection gloves.

However, perhaps it was truly the problem with natural talent, everytime she correctly follows the steps stated in books the product is, although usable, still not satisfying. And the smell…. She almost always ran away as fast as she could after each class.

Every Potions class was a Cruciatus Curse for her. She thought of the evil witches in Muggles' fairy tales, those with long pointed nose and ugly faces. They come out in dark, windy nights and brew poisons in some underground chambers. They laugh with bloody mouths and yellowish teeth. They add colorful ingredients along with disgusting things into the cauldron, like the dark witch who fed Snowwhite the poisonous apple.

Then she suddenly thought of the headmaster and trembled heavily. No! She didn't think of him at all! Forgive her, she didn't indeed!

But she truly couldn't bear the ingredients. Their smell were disgusting enough, but they also had to be added into the cauldron and brew above fire! That smell couldn't be imagined without actual experiences.

The aroma of Potions? Oh, damn that aroma! She never ever felt that way!

Maybe she should suggest the school to give everyone a respirator during Potions classes. As for the pretense…. Can she say the respirator can prevent saliva from dropping into the potions? Er….

She really hadn't got any talent in Potions, so she thought herself very lucky to have Horace Slughorn as her professor. He was much kinder than Severus Snape, and he happened to be a rather smooth Slytherin. If her Potions professor was still Severus Snape, Virginia couldn't guarantee that she do not explode her cauldron.

It looks like she shouldn't spend time on things she's not good at. She has no talent, and she admits that straightforwardly.

She walked out of the classroom and planned not to have luch at the hall today. Then she was disturbed by a shierk that sounds like a dog being stepped on the tail. She recogized that the sound belongs to Alecto Carrow.

"I'm the professor. I can use any means to punish the troublesome kids!" The dog was still shierking loudly.

"Oh I don't agree." Severus Snape replies. Virginia thought it would be wise to go away now, but her feet seemed to be stamped on the ground by curiosity.

"Snape!" Alecto Carrow suddenly dropped her voice, "If master knows you are protecting the cubs of Albus Dumbledore, how would he react?"

"Well done. If you think you are now threatening me, I'd say the Dark Lord isn't as silly as you are."

"Who do you think you are talking to!" Her voice makes Virginia think that she must be jumping when saying this.

Snape disrupted her, "Silly enough to think," he raised his voice suddenly and then dropped back to a low whisper, "that triggering students' riot is beneficial to future plans."

"But they write those recruiting messages on the wall… I know who wrote the words!"

"Proof! You have to catch them red-handed! I know you haven't, so I gave them detentions." Snape resumed his cold voice and seemed hurried, "I am busy, very busy, and I have no time to deal with all these. I just left for a morning." He paused, "You have to understand that if possible, the Dark Lord doesn't want any disturbance within Hogwarts."

"Alright Snape, if you are sure…" She still sounds unconvinced, but apparently the Dark Lord has strong deterence, so she compromised temporarily.

Alecto Carrow went away. Virginia gave herself a Disillusionment Charm and hurried away.

"Who's there!" Severus Snape's voice came. She started to run and met some Slytherin seventh-year students. She recognized one of them. It was Draco Malfoy.

They seemed not to have noticed her. "Draco, did you see anyone running?" Snape asked.

"No, professor." Draco answered coldly. His discontent with Snape is well-exposed in his voice, and that surprised Virginia slightly. Snape went away after that.

There's only a History of Magic class in the evening. Virginia was taking notes, not History of Magic notes, but Charms'. She listed all spells she has mastered. She still hasn't attempted any attacking spells. And Apparation, she still doesn't dare trying.

Then she suddenly thought of Portkey. That was indeed an easy spell, but she couldn't understand the theory behind it. She thought of the circumstance in the original book: Harry Potter dreamed of Mr. Weasley being bitten by a snake, and Professor Dumbledore sent them to the headquarter with a Portkey made at the spot. That was really a practical spell. She decided to ask her head house for help.

Virginia was tactful in asking her question. She didn't ask directly how to use the spell, but she asked whether the theory of making Portkeys is similar to that of Apparation.

Professor Filius Flitwick appraised her sprirt and told her that they both are means of transportation, but the spell "Portkey" requires that the maker has been to the place and can locate it clearly in the mind. Then the maker can grab the thing and say the incantation. If the thing emits bluish light and vibrates slightly, then it has been successfully made into a Portkey. And the magic has limitations. If you are going to choose a place that belongs to other people, then you have to first ask for permission or it won't work. If this is a secret place, then only the secret-keeper can make the Portkey.

Professor Flitwick then said piteously that although this was a rather simple spell, it still cannot be used by Virginia, for it require the magic power of an adult wizard. And Apparation is a highly dangerous spell. For those who are not familiar with it, they may end up inside the wall or into water, and Splinch can also happen in some occasions. He emphasized that this was a spell that can be learnt only in the sixth year. And then he said if there's no pre-placed Anti-Apparation spell, and if your magic power is strong enough, you can virtually go to anywhere with no limitation. Of course this is theoretically speaking, for no one is powerful enough to ignore distance. So in comparison the Portkey is more advantageous in transporting over long distances. But it also has limitations. You have to make it first, for intance. So under emergent conditions Apparation is the better choice. And Portkeys have to be reported to the Minister of Magic because too many people are using this spell.

Virginia was excited when she walked back to the Common Room. She saw a student in front of the door and understood that he must have failed to correctly answer a question of the door hook. She had also failed once and that was quite embarassing.

She smiled to the first-year and knocked the door. It says in a song-like voice. "Which one is more valuable in life, the peak or the low ebb?"

Virginia thought quickly and answered, "They are all experiences, and experience is fortune. They cannot be compared, for they are equally valuable."

Walking into the Common Room, the first-year quickly ran back to the dorm.

Virginia sat down in the armchair and exhaled deeply. Ravenclaw is indeed a good place, for it can prevent you from having a much too hot brain.


	14. Danger propels progress

**Chapter Fourteen**

Vriginia is lying in the armchair beside the fire. She is holding a letter in her hand, but it looks like she has already fallen asleep.

The letter was from Viginia's parents. It contains mainly details of their daily lives, such as how Aunt Annie misses Virginia, and certainly she doesn't know anything about the magic school. Daddy's investment with Ancle James is prosperous, and Mom has learnt a few new dishes…. And they have decided to follow Virginia's advice and travel to Hawaii! At the end of the letter, Mom wrote in rather small characters, about how much they miss Virginia, but they assured her that they are quite alright and told her not to worry about them.

After reading the letter, Virginia seemed pulled by an invisible power back to the normal world. Magic seems to be so far away that it is inaccessible….

Virginia began to reflect about herself. All the time she thought of keeping herself away from this, but now she comes to think about that, she felt that's not nearly enough. Like last time, if Severus Snape hadn't been summoned by Lor Voldemort, he might have used Legilimency on her; these are all unknowable. In front of those more powerful than her, Virginia hasn't the slightest ability for self-defense and protection.

This fact makes her feel angry but she cannot help with it. She feels helpless and is angry about her weakness. She knows the fate of others, but she doesn't know her own fate. She has always been extra-careful, wishing everything to develop along the same line as her memory tells, avoiding any possible differences. She always thought if she doesn't participate, she won't be in danger. She tried to act as a dispassionate bystander.

This isn't a story anymore; this is her real life, the world of which is just the same as that in _Harry Potter_ series, but seems to be completely different at the same time. Same people, same matters, but they are true. True things, true people, true feelings.

After interacting with all those people, they are not just characters inside the book, never are they simple names anymore. They influence her, infect her emotions, impress her decisions, and makes everything much more difficult.

For everything that is true, it must be complex. The true world isn't a story wrote for children. It has a much stronger impact.

Virginia holded on the little angle on her necklace. This was a present from Dad and she has been wearing it since three years old. She holds it tightly and thought, she can't be going on like this anymore!

Virginia is always an actor after determining on something. She doesn't keep herself away from the Restrict Section out of scrupulousness now. She finds it rather easy to obtain a permission for Restrict Section from her Head House, and because of her quietness, Madam Prinse always allowed her in without a word.

And during Potions, she doesn't avoid those disgusting ingredients anymore. She is highly occupied and has made many satisfying Potions.

And she doesn't give herself the Neglecting Charm all the time now. She only does so in the Carrows classes or when she encounters them. Olivia Hill begins to notice her again, and she apologized to the prior neglection of her and tells her to ask for help anytime she needs it. Virginia is truly grateful to her. She knows that this third-year student indeed cares about her.

But she is still a quiet maverick and at specific times a spectator, such as during conflicts between Gryffindor and Slytherin, or when the Carrows are punishing students. She stays away and keeps herself from doing things she cannot do.

Maybe, the goddess of life always favors her, for Severus Snape hasn't called her during this month. When she meets him in the corridor, she does not avoid him anymore or give herself a Neglecting Charm. He seems to have let her off. In fact, Severus Snape finds herself much busier when he no longer has to teach. He hasn't any time to notice this Ravenclaw student. Stupis Gryffindors! They try to steal the Sword of Gryffindor from his office, that fake one. He doesn't understand why Dumbledore did so, but he knows he has to make everyone believe this is the genuine Sword of Gryffindor. Ginny Weasley has apparently inherited her brothers' recklessness and brainlessness. He caught them. Those students really lack brains! He had to throw them to the half-giant in case they die under the Carrows' Cruciatus Curse.

Just two days before the Ministry of Magic was broken in. The intruders were indeed silly and released a lot of Muggle-borns. Oh who might that be! Surely it is none other than our Chosen Boy Harry Potter. He felt ironic. Those Ministry idiots, watching Potter break into their territory and than fleet away. It is said that they only discovered because Moody's Magic Eye on Unbridge's door was found lost. Silly, brainless Potter!

As for the other two, he was quite sure they are the red-haired Weasley and the know-it-all Granger. The Weasley's boy has been ill and cannot attent school? He never ever believes it!

The Dark Lord is now in Germany. No one knows what he is doing, but this information surely makes him angry. Nevertheless, he still decides to finish with his dealings first.

Severus Snape's expression becomes inponderable.

Many witches and wizards are now on the run. Virginia, however doesn't understand how lucky she was, for she is not paying attention to the surroundings. She has already asked Professor Slughorn what that Potion was. She wrote the name on a paper and said she came across it in her reading and was curious about what that was.

Horace Slughorn was interested in the student. He seems to have noticed her only then, and he tells her generously that this is a rather strong antidote for poison and is from Germany. He said its effect is impressive and it's really ancient and rare now. Then with Virginia's temptation, he told her about the detailed characteristic of it and its effects.

At last he told her if she has any problem later, she is free to come to him for help.

Virginia went back to her dorm and took out the donkey-skin sack she purchased several days before by mail. That thing was really very expensive and hard to find. She came across it in a book and discovered where to purchase it in an accidentally heard conversation.

She puts everything important, including that strong antidote, inside the sack. These may come in handy or even save her life later.

It is still very early. She has no class in the afternoon, so she stayed in the library all afternoon.

Virginia found herself intrigued by the Dark Magic. Admittedly the Dark Magic is the most appealing to everyone who seeks power. But even in the Restrict Section there're virtually few books about this topic. Through the few books, however, she still finds her passion. It is powerful, dark energy. Wizards make Dark Arts into a taboo because it is evil. It has powerful curses that can ruin everything.

But if you see it from another perspective, you will find it is ubiquitous. For example, the power of contract belongs to Dark Magic. The power comes from a kind of dark magic. To make a contract, you have to sacrifice a part of yourself, either the blood, the flesh, or the soul.

Hogwarts itself has this type of contract. The powerful thousands-year-old contract stays on the spectacular castle. So nothing should be completely casted aside; at least she can understand why there are people who are entranched entirely by Dark Magic. It is mysterous, profound and powerful. It makes those seeking for power curious and resonates through their hearts.

As for the White Magic, she has also found something interesting about it. For example, today's wizards' power is much weaker than ancient wizards. In the era of Merlin, White Magic is very powerful indeed. Many a powerful wizard can dominate some elements, such as water, fire, or wind. That kind of domination is different from today's control of water inside the cup. They rely on their power to extract from thin air. It is quite unimaginable.

This is also why wizards pay attention to ancestry and blood lineage. Blood transports power; it is undeniable by anyone. So those wizards who mix blood are perceived as sinners. Most people believe these people are most responsible for wizard's decline over the thousands of years.

Virginia is immersed in books and even forgets time. Not until Madam Prinse comes to remind her did she go away unwillingly.

At the headmaster's office –

"Yes, that boy sounds quite OK," Phineas Nigellus says, "They covered my eyes and I don't know where they are."

"Well then if they summon you again, you go there and take care of him, Nigellus." Severus Snape is looking elsewhere; he sounds calm and cold.

"Oh I'm not a house-elf," he cursed under his breath but didn't make objections nevertheless.


	15. The power of lies

**Chapter Fifteen**

Virginia is deeply immersed in the Restriction Section in the library now. She stays there all day except during classes or having meals or sleeping. She reads from the rise of wizardry several thousand years ago to later when the witch burning took place. She watches as witches were burnt, hanged, or wizards beheaded, and sorcerers got into hiding gradually, not revealing their magic power. Magic, then, became a taboo.

And then came Merlin, who empowered magic and led sorcerers to a new path. She went through many books but still couldn't find detailed information. All were filled with a sense of fairy tales and mystery, like Mose's split of ocean.

In the long river of wizarding history, Virginia gradually discovers a problem, which can only be discovered by an unbiased perspective like hers.

What is magic?

She has different understandings from other sorcerers. Maybe it's because she doesn't perceive herself as a witch in essence, like when she cleans her bedroom by hand, or learns only defensive magics instead of those charms that make lives convenient.

Looking through all these books, Virginia discovers that magic is psyche in essence, powerful psyche and firm will, these are the true nature of magic. The inner magical power is only a path, such as the wand, which helps you realize your magic. A good or powerful wand can destroy you if there's not an equally powerful psyche and will.

Powerful witches and wizards have either powerful psyche or firm will and determined spirit, or both. There's no exception.

As for spells, they are a manifestation of psyche. When your will is strong enough, you can utilize language to realize your magic power through your wand. The magical power is similar to the water in a cup, and your psyche helps you master your strength when you pour it out.

She begins to think about how spells were created at first. Strong thirst is the only explanation, and then fluent language is needed to show it.

This quirky idea has entangled her, and Virginia starts her experimentation as though possessed by it. She often remains in her dorm and mutters strange words while holding her wand. She looks up the dictionary yo find words that demonstrate certain meanings, and then she trys them out, but still she hasn't ever succeeded.

She calmed down gradually and realized her ignorance of trying to reach something far beyond her grasp.

This kind of thing touches on the essence of magic, so how can it be mastered by someone like her who has only known magic for a short while. This is like the difference between using a computer and inventing one on your own.

So she finally becomes calm and returns to her daily ritual of study, although in a hidden corner in her heart she still harbors her exotic idea.

Compared to the surrounding environment of Hogwarts, Virginia seems to be living in her own world. She never gets as nervous as the other people, for she always carefully avoids getting entangled into this chaos. She trys to skip all the potential troubles.

So when Virginia becomes more involved in the students, she finds out many things she failed to notice before. For instance, some people even believe that Harry Potter killed Albus Dumbledore. This is so ridiculus, though most people do not believe in it, and Gryffindors, in particular, always refutes it fiercely. Virginia also noticed that quirky senior schoolmate of her Ravenclaw, Luna Lovegood. Blond bushy hair looks strange indeed, and she speaks strangely as well, but it sounds reasonable somehow each time.

And there's the fantastic radio station which broadcasts only occasionally in specific periods at night. There's always a crowd in Ravenclaw's Common Room who sits beside it. These are mostly upperclassmen, and there are a few students from first and second years as well.

Virginia has never listened to it. That "Potterwatch", she heard, was formed by people from the Order of the Phoenix. Well, the name is rather heroic.

Today she finished battling with the door hook and came in.

"Virginia, you are back so early today. Have you finished with your dinner?" Olivia's soft voice comes right into her ears.

"Yes, I have already finished my dinner." Virginia replied with a smile. She is still a bit nervous, for she really hopes the others won't invite her to listen to the radio.

"December is coming. Are you going home for Christmas?" Olivia asks her. Virginia thought she was very lovely.

Nevertheless, she was still shocked by the question. She forgot about Christmas completely, for it is still a month away. She suddenly discovers that she is already in Hogwarts for three months. Busy she had been, with intense workload and careful precaution, these are her entire life.

Would she go home for Christmas?... Thinking about this question, her heart thumped rather fast. She could see her parents, could eat the biscuits made by Mum, could hear Dad call her "little princess", all these are much too appealing for her. But she knows she can't; she just can't go home yet.

"Virginia?" Olivia's voice dragged her out of her deliberation.

Virginia wore a confused expression and said, "I don't know. I haven't thought of it yet. It's still very early."

"Oh, I want to ask you… Maybe you could come to my home for Christmas if you do not go home." She sounds a bit awkward, "I know this is a bit sudden, but I always see you alone…. So I thought it would be more excited if there are more people."

Virginia smiled truly. She says apologetically, "Thanks very much for your invitation. Though I still haven't decided where to go at Christmas, I'm afraid I cannot go with you. I'm really sorry. Maybe next year I can have the honor."

That was a formal and polite refuse. Olivia looks a little regretful, "Alright, I just thought you might agree if I talk to you early."

At this time the radio suddenly sounds, and a voice comes, "Welcome to Potterwatch. I am host River." In the Common Room many people are attracted to the voice, but Virginia went out of the Common Room, for she has more important things to do.

Ever since she came to Hogwarts she was trying to make a Portkey. Just now in the Restrict Section she felt she was nearly successful. It's just there might be a minor problem.

She kept pondering during dinner. She felt it's not because of the lack of magical power. She must have failed because of a detail in the process. She recalled Professor Flitwick's words that she has to locate the destination very clearly and accurately in her mind.

Maybe she has to pin the destination in more complexed details in her mind. For example, she might have to locate the destination in her bedroom beside the window instead of just within the house in Spain.

Holding the angel tightly in a grip, she felt it vibrate slightly. She looked at it and saw it emit bluish light. This was an unimaginable feeling. She suddenly realized why she always failed before. It was because of the ownership of the house.

Professor Flitwick once said that if you locate the destination in others' house, you have to ask for the owner's permission at first. She failed before because she located the destination at her London's house. She was not the owner of the house, and she obviously hasn't asked for her parents' permission. As for her house in Spain, it was bought in her name, so the owner is her. She does not need to ask for the owner's permission and so succeeded at once.

She stared at the angel briefly and then put it back to her chest. She understands that it must be strange that next time she touch the angel she will land in Spain. She laughed to herself and thought of illegal migration.

It seems that now that her safety is guaranteed she has more confidence. She is still very scrupulous but is bolder than previously.

Christmas is coming, and the castle finally has some well-hidden pleasure. The Carrows, however, are more brutal than before. They persecuted not only Muggle-borns but also some half-bloods. Two first-year Gryffindors beared the Cruciatus Curse. Virginia thought if it wasn't for Professor McGonagall's furious defense, the two young wizards can never endure through the Cruciatus Curse and come out alive.

McGonagall points out clearly the origin of the two wizards' wazarding blood, but the Carrows weren't restrained. Only when Severus Snape was there would they pay attention. It seems that they do not want to offend the favor of the Dark Lord.

Virginia felt more dangerous than before. Finally in a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson her name was noticed on the register roll despite of the Neglecting Charm she gave to herself.

Now it's near the end of the class. Virginia felt so unlucky. Amycus Carrow stared at her fixedly. Virginia raised her head but still looked at her feet.

"Your surname is Winchester," she seems to be enjoying herself as though a cat taunting the mouse, but still she is a bit confused, "It's so strange. This seems to be the first time I notice you. Where were you hiding before?" Her melicious voice makes Virginia rather nervous, but she still kept herself calm, "I am always here, professor."

"Oh, Ms. Winchester, you are not a pure blood, I believe. I have never heard the surname Winchester. Who are your parents?"

"My mum is a Germany, and dad a British. They moved to England later. As for wizarding blood, I never asked before I came to Hogwarts. In fact, my mum's family has several wizards…." Virginia recited her lies in composure.

"Lier!" A spell was coming from her wand suddenly. Virginia didn't attempt to escape, and the spell hit the wall behind her, scraping her face. The students in the classroom all exclaimed.

"I didn't, professor! My mum's surname is Auerbach. If you doubt that, you are insulting my mum's family!" Virginia sounds rather furious. This kind of fury is very real, but the reason is different from her performance.

Amycus Carrow seemed to have shrinked from her defense of her blood lineage. "I will investigate about that. It doesn't require a long time to know whether you're speaking the truth." Amycus's voice still sounds evil. "If I know you are lying, Ms. Winchester…." She didn't go on but went out of the classroom.


	16. Things destined to happen

**Chapter Sixteen**

Virginia felt ever more dangerous though she seemed to just have escaped a crisis. She knew she had to do something or it will get worse. She nodded to those Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws around her to show that she is OK, and went away as fast as she could.

She carefully looked around and saw only the back of Amycus Carrow. She saw no one else. This is excellent. She gave herself a Disillusionment Charm, watched herself become invisible, and followed Amycus Carrow. This time she felt outragerous and the fire of her fury is burning fiercely in her heart. She put her hand into the donkey-skin pouch and took out the phial with the title "Felix Felicis". Although she couldn't see it, she could sort it out by mere touch, for these days she kept studying the contents of her pouch and was already familiar with all the phials inside it.

She has already checked the contents of the phial according to the descriptions of its supposed color in books, but she was still not sure about this. Nevertheless, she now forgets all these and opened the phial immediately. She siped a small amount of potion from it.

Then she stood still. This is not a conscious move, for she seemed to just have been injected with an incitant. She was excited from head to feet. She now felt she could do anything, and solving her little problem is only too easy.

Her instinctions tell her to keep following. So she complied. At the crossing she cannot see Amycus Carrow, but she knows she should turn left. It was so fantastic.

So she keeps walking till she reaches a door she has never seen before. She stopped there. She knows she has to go inside but still waited. She doesn't know what she is waiting for but she still waited outside, full of confidence.

Soon enough she found out what she's waiting for. She saw two people at the end of the corrider. It was the Carrows. She didn't move; her breath seemed to have stopped. Only their voices were ringing in the deserted corrider.

"Those cubs of Gryffindor, you wait for me! They will never feel the slightest happiness after Christmas!" The voice was from Alecto Carrow. "Longbottom! If he wasn't a pure-blood I'd already have given him a Killing Curse!" Amycus's gruesome voice even made ghosts feel comtemptible.

"Amycus, master said that pure-bloods should not be spilled carelessly. Every drop of pure wizarding blood is valuable. You just give him several more Cruciatus Curse. That ought to teach him a lesson."

"I will certainly have him, sooner or later." Amycus said malevolently. They were very near the door now. Virginia followed them in and closed the door.

"And that Ravenclaw Mudblood! I'll have her as well!" Amycus sounds very dangerous now.

"This isn't difficult. We don't need to waste our time on such things. Just hand it to Umbridge; she's skilled at that. And the Dementors will make them behave properly as well." Alecto Carrow seemed not at all care about this Ravenclaw girl.

Virginia still remained unmoved. She isn't at all worrying. Felix Felicis tells her to keep waiting.

"Oh don't mention Umbridge! Last time master was really angry with her." The two both fell into silence. "And still there's no news about Potter. Where can he hide?"

This is it! Virginia walked to them and confidently took out her wand. Now the two are weak enough that they are not paying attention for self-defense. "Obliviate!" Virginia shouted. She never thought she would fail on this never-tried curse. Under the influence of the luck potion it was ridiculus to have such thoughts.

Watching the two confused people in front of her, she knows she had succeeded. She had succeeded at obliterating the memories about her.

She left that room. Felix Felicis was still influencing her. She knows where she should go next.

The library, Restrict Section.

In the huge piles of books she does not feel difficult to pick up those she needs this time. She took out seven or eight books she know she would need and sat down there, immersing herself into those books.

When she went back at night Felix Felicis has already left her, but she was still in an ecstatic mood. Those first-years who were waiting to console her was really puzzled by her now. She smiled to them and went back into her dorm.

She jumped onto her bed and cheered loudly. This feeling was never experienced by her since she came to Hogwarts. All these time she felt very hard to choose books she needs from the library, but now she saves such trouble. She didn't know why Felix Felicis led her into the Resstrict Section instead of the Room of Requirement, but she is glad indeed about the decision. The books cannot be checked out of the Restrict Section, but she clearly remembers the names and locations of these books.

She fell asleep in joy, the first time since she came to Hogwarts.

Christmas comes. The incidence at Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson was never mentioned later. Virginia wrote a letter to her parents that she decides to remain at school this year, for according to her, she has to catch up for her lack of basis. And she put in a magic photo on which she can move and smile and call to them.

In fact, she was a bit ashamed of doing so. She remained at school not out of her lack of basis, but because she wants to learn more methods of self-defense and protection. This kind of saying is out of good will, but it's still a lie. Nevertheless, she never regrets her decision.

It will soon end, she told herself. Darkness will go away one day in the future.

Most students are leaving; only a few remained. Virginia felt ever freer. Everyday except during meals she stayed in the Restrict Section, so understandably she didn't know how much had happened during Christmas.

Harry Potter had narrowly escaped Lord Voldemort again, his wand snapped during the process. Her senior schoolmate Luna Lovegood was taken by the Death Eaters because of the Quibblers managed by her father, which has many support-Harry-Potter messages. She also doesn't know that in the Headmaster's Office something happened as well.

Severus Snape was standing there, waiting for something. Phineas Nigellus bursted into his photo frame and shouted hurriedly, "Headmaster! They now camp at the Dean's Forest! That Mudblood –"

"Don't use that word!" Severus Snape growled.

"Oh alright then." He said reluctantly. "That Granger girl said the name when opening her bag. I heard her."

"Good! Very good!" said Dumbledore, whose voice overpowered that of Phineas Nigellus, "Now, Severus, take that sword. Don't forget the conditions of attaining it. Give it to Harry, and don't let him know it's you in case Voldemort enters his mind. He will know you are helping Harry Potter."

"I know." Severus Snape remained lack of expression. He took away Dumbledore's portrait and took out the genuine Sword of Gryffindor from a hole behind the portrait. Giving Bellatrix Lestrange the fake sword while handling the true one to Harry. How ironic! Severus Snape thought to himself.

"You still won't let me know why you are giving it to Potter?" He put on a traveling cloak, not expecting an answer.

"Yes, he will know how to use it, or when to use it." Dumbledore seemed to be avoiding the topic. He urged again, "Severus, you need to be careful. They won't take you politely, especially after George Weasley's accident."

"There's nothing for you to worry about, Dumbledore," Severus Snape replied coldly. "I have my plan."

Everything seemed not to have changed. All those destined to happen happened indeed, and nothing is altered, or at least it looks like that.


	17. A rare relax

**Chapter Seventeen**

Ravenclaw's Common Room was rather quiet. Most students have gone home. Virginia was the only first-year who stayed.

Virginia has now mastered a good number of spells, but she cannot use them very well. She knows it's because of her habits, such as when she scratched herself she first thought of looking for a woundplast instead of using the Healing Spell.

As for self-defense, she believed she has mastered well. This kind of confidence stems out of her recently mastered Patronus Charm. She thought it would be very advanced magic but actually it was not more difficult for her than the Confoundus Charm or the Obliviate Charm. She thought it might be because she always had such a pair of loving parents, who make her feel happy at the mere thought of them. Maybe the wish of protecting others is the first step toward producing a Patronus. She easily summoned her own Partonus.

The tip of her wand first manifested silvery smoke, like a mysterous phantom. When the eagle came out Virginia was shocked. She never thought her Patronus would be an eagle, even though she is a Ravenclaw.

She carefully watched the huge eagle in front of her. Yes, her Patronus eagle was really large in size, about three or four times as big as the normal eagles. It spreads out its wings to float above Virginia, covering all above it from her sight.

Every night before sleep she would summon her Patronus and fell asleep with it. It makes her feel safe. But except for the first summon it never spreads its wind again. The eagle should naturally be flying in the sky. Virginia cannot stop her desire of seeing it fly, but in the castle, she keeps being prudent.

This day she comes to the Astronomy Tower after dinner. She remembers that Dumbledore died here, so it is usually deserted, and it's holiday now. She sent out her Patronus into the sky.

In the sky it flys as though nothing can hinder it. This freedom impacts her and is what Virginia actually wishes for deep inside her heart. Yes, she desires freedom. She wishes she can hover around freely in the sky and do not need to hide or be scrupulous about everything she does.

At this moment, she finds herself jealous of her Patronus.

It has grown dark now. Not wishing to draw too much attention, she recalled her Patronus.

Sitting alone on the Astronomy Tower, her hair immersed in moonlight. The shallow brown-gray hair seems to be a valuable, emiting a particular light under the moon, soft and mysterious.

"You two are very alike." A voice suddenly rang behind her.

Virginia jumped to her feet. She turned around and nearly crashed her head on the windowside. She looked at the culprit and saw it was Bloody Baron, the Slytherin ghost. It hangs in midair. Virginia cursed in her mind. Who is her alike? She doesn't consider it an honor at all, having experienced such a huge shock.

Bloody Baron seemed not to have noticed her embarassment. "She was also a Ravenclaw…." His voice sounds soft and misty. After saying his word he fell into silence. Virginia found that he never looked at her for once since the beginning.

Virginia raised her head and turned away. She has to hurry back, for the curfew has already passed. She cannot stay here for the entire night, especially when there's a quirky ghost beside.

Then, a loud crack sounds in the sky. That sound was quite like the outburst of a balloon. Virginia looked around in curiosity. In the darkness a man in cloak appeared. He strided toward the door in the silent night. Virginia suddenly realized that it was Apparation just now.

You can apparate into Hogwarts? Virginia felt nonplussed. "That was your headmaster." Bloody Baron's voice came, seeming not to be shocked by that.

True. She is convinced about that very quickly. That must have been Severus Snape. Who else would have such strides and pass like wind? And headmaster can apparate in Hogwarts, that was indeed a boon.

He went out so late this time. The Dark Lord summoned him again, maybe? Virginia conjectured, but she suddenly realized that what is most important for her now is to return to her dormitory.

Walking so many times in darkness and you can't avoid meeting a ghost.

This sounds unconvincing for Virginia. Judging from her own experience, the first time she walks in darkness there's a ghost tailing behind her. Bloody Baron followed her as though they were just accidentally walking in the same direction.

Virginia didn't wish to let others know that she has mastered the Disillusionment Charm, even when in holiday it's not actually illegal to walk after curfew. So she still walked her original way back and didn't perform the charm, though it was merely a ghost.

But a shiny ghost in darkness is certainly very obvious. Those people in the portraits seemed extremely curious about that. Bloody Baron and a first-year student.

A midnight castle still makes her feel she was stared at by many eyes. Virginia didn't know how to deal with this, so she walked faster and faster, and it was such a rush at last.

It had been fortunate for her. She encountered no trouble on her way to the dorm, not even those normally disturbing ghosts. Bloody Baron also went away soundlessly. Well, she has to admit that he had been useful behind her.

Having answered the cunning question of the door hook, she finally went in the Common Room and sat down to read for a while beside the warm fireplace. Then she went upstairs.

She thought of her rather monotonous life every day. She does nothing except reading and learning new spells. The new year is coming soon…. She thought and then fell asleep.

Next morning she opened her eyes and found her room rather bright. Ah! She jumped off her bed and ran to the window. She knows why that is! It was all silvery white outside the window. Lakewater and wood are all covered by a layer of white dressing-growns. Virginia now seems like a true child. She hurried to put on her clothes and ran out.

At the next corner she ran into someone.

"Oh! Ms. Winchester! Be careful please!" It was Professor McGonagall. She seemed to just be back at school. She supported Virginia's body and said with slight blame, "Ms. Winchester, you've got to be careful. Look around and walk slowly. Don't be so reckless."

"Snow! It was snowing, professor!" Virginia was ecstatic. She rushed out again.

Professor McGonagall was watching her from behind. Her normally stern expression was now loosened a little. These Hogwarts students are the true future of the wizarding world…. She turned back and left.

Virginia wasn't seeing snow for the first time. In fact that had been abnormal for her, for she was an adult in her born, but if you use that against her, she would refute by saying that adults can still harbor some playfulness, let alone that she was actually seeing such spectacular snow for the first time indeed. Before she was only seeing snow on tall skyscrapers and dirty pitch-covered road. Now it was the forest, the lake, the castle, all seemed to be an unrealistic fairy tale, a paradise.

A rare beauty in an oppresive fairy tale, can't she relax a bit in that?

Virginia lay down on the ground. She looked at clear sky above her and enjoyed the smelt of snow, along with the mixed flavor of forest plants. The snow in her hand was very soft. She took some and let them fall through her fingers. The snow shined in the sun and was blowed gentally onto her face.

Alright it was not that unrealistic. She sat up and thought that she had to strive ever harder. She has to guard everything she owns now, her life, her family, and the occasional beauty of nature.

Hogwarts becomes crowded a week later, for students gone for holiday are now coming back. Virginia knows she has to pay more attention to her study, because it is getting more and more intense around. Everything will pass soon, she consoles herself.

Soon before summer, all will end.

'

Many people would die, but more will live on. She thought of their hook-nosed headmaster, and the evil and malicious Dark Lord. Both will die, and both deaths lack any value.

In the final battle, some people will die of value, at least in the eyes of most people.

But even those valuable deaths are not permittable, thought Virginia, for afterall they died, and nothing is left after death. She has to live on, she tells herself. She will live on.

People's mood is such a fantastic being. It will steer you and influence your judgement. It can both encourage you and crack you down.


	18. The importance of sleep

**Chapter Eighteen**

The holiday ended very soon. Hogwarts returned to its normal track, with the ugly piggish face of Amycus Carrow and Alecto Carrow's equally malicious face. All these reappeared in front of Virginia as though her eyes and nerve had been cursed again.

In this holiday, people have their gains and losses.

Harry Potter gained access to the true Sword of Gryffindor. His best friend Ron Weasley was back to help him. And he has known the tale of the Deathly Hallows.

Voldemort gained information he needed, information about that unconquerable Elder Wand, but he lost "the Boy Who Lived" again within only a few milliseconds.

Xenophilius Lovegood, his daughter taken away by the Death Eaters, tried to catch Harry Potter for them in order to get her daughter back, but he failed drastically.

Virginia mastered the Patronus Charm, gained a huge shock and lost it again very soon, and as for that she wasn't regretful at all.

Ravenclaw students were crowding in the Common Room. Most talked about the scene on the train when Luna Lovegood was taken by the Death Eaters. They knew that was because of her father's Quibblers and its support-Harry-Potter messages.

They discuss Harry Potter's name under their breath as though the mere name infuses power into them. But everyone was cursing You-Know-Who in the heart. No one dares saying out aloud. Most people just cursed the Death Eaters during their conversations.

Virginia looked up at the vaulted window. It was all dark, but the light was rather bright inside the room. She could still see the snows falling outside.

She missed the Astronomy Tower but couldn't go there at this time. She went upstairs to the eighth floor where the headmaster's office and the Room of Requirement lie. Of course the latter was her destination.

This action, strictly speaking, was not wise, even a bit stupid. The holiday was such an ideal opportunity to come here, but she didn't. Now that the holiday has ended there are much more eyes at Hogwarts, she starts doing dangerous things nevertheless. This sounds really a little silly.

But Virginia thought differently. She liked the environment during holiday when she could concentrate on her study and improve her efficiency. Thinking about her Patronus, she believed herself to be wise indeed, for she would never be able to allow it fly in the sky except during holiday.

And now she admits that she wishes to escape the grave sense brought by the students. The castle soon turned from the relaxed studying environment back to the nervous and tense atmosphere. This makes her wish to go away.

At the eighth floor she gave herself the Disillusionment Charm again out of habit. Compared to the Carrows, Virginia was more frightened about headmaster Severus Snape. If the former make you feel disgustion and hatred, then the latter makes you oppressed, grave, unable to draw breathes.

She wished to find a place for quiet deliberation, but stangely after three times of walk the door failed to appear. She tried several times and reorganized her words, but the door was still not there. She even tried the hiding place she went in before but it was of no use.

She stopped dead and realized abruptly – There are people inside!

Who might that be?

Virginia opened her valve of memory suddenly. The Room of Requirement isn't actually a mystery. Draco Malfoy had been inside. The members of Dumbledore's Army were also in there as well. Even several Death Eaters went out from that room throught the Vanishing Cabinet.

And this year, the hiding room will be burnt. Oh why she just thought of it! It would be burnt by the follower of Draco Malfoy, using an evil fire which belongs to very dark magic. And the Horcrux Ravenclaw's diadem was destroyed at the same time.

Harry Potter will come back, of course she knows that. But she only just noticed what that would mean.

Virginia lay against the wall and waited patiently. Finally a door opened and three people emerged. The first one was Neville Longbottom.

These Harry Potter's close helpers appear completely different from her imagination. She felt a bit depressed, for when she was reading the series, she percieved them as kids, but now these "kids" are all adults, taller and older than her. She is still a little girl.

And then came Ginny Weasley, who is very beautiful, quite unlike the one in the movies. Virginia thought she knew why Harry Potter cannot resist the temptation while leaving the eighth floor. She does not plan to come again recently. She has to go back and think carefully about all these.

Back in the dorm she took out her quills and parchment and started writing about everythng she remembers or not. She wrote down her memory as completely as she could. She didn't know when she fell asleep.

She was waken up by her clock. She wished to go back to sleep but knew she can't, for the first lesson is Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration. She finished as quickly as she could but was still late. McGonagall let her sit down and didn't punish her. She exhaled deeply and vowed not to stay up late at night any more. Then she suddenly become speechless. That parchment! That parchment she wrote on yesterday was still on her bed! She forgot it completely this morning. What a silly mistake!

Virginia rushed back to the dorm first thing after class. She knows that her dorm won't have others in, but she still warns herself to be careful. During class just now she lost concentration for a long while. Professor McGonagall watched her several times.

This Transfiguration class teaches the Converting Spell. It is a basic one, and they were asked to turn one thing into another, similar thing. This was much too easy for Virginia, so she would not have any failure even without concentration, but this time she finished much more quickly than before. Well, this was an unexpected accident for the always careful Virginia.

She noticed her neglect at once and raised her head, only to meet McGonagall's thinking eyes. She quickly pretended a never-too-late-to-mend ecstatic expression. McGonagall went to her and nodded, saying to the whole class, "Very good! This is the first time we transfigure living creatures. Ms. Winchester is the first one to finish, and performed rather excellently. Five points to Ravenclaw!"

Then she looked at Virginia and said, "You are brilliant, Ms. Winchester. Keep on working hard."

It was not until the end of the class that she realized her mistake. Apart from her, nobody in the class succeeded at converting it. This time she really saught the limelight.

She felt a bit uneasy, but the parchment in her dorm is more enticing, so she hurried away quickly. But just as she was going out, Professor McGonagall stopped her, "Ms. Winchester, please stay behind for a while."

Well, she felt nervous now. But an accidental performance isn't that serious, blind cats can also catch mice occasionally, it isn't something to be surprised about.

"Ms. Winchester, do you feel confortable at Hogwarts?" Professor McGonagall asked kindly.

"Not bad, Professor." Virginia answered, "I like here; it is fantastic."

"I'm glad to hear that. If you, er, ever encounter some problem, you are always welcome to find me." She said, "both in study and during daily life, you understand? Ms. Winchester."

"Yes, I think I understand. Thanks, Professor."

Virginia went out and rushed back. Luch? She has no mood to have lunch. In fact, she doesn't want to eat anything now.

The hook was still creating difficulty for her. It sang slowly, "What's the most powerful thing in the world?"

Oh the convoluted philosophical question. Virginia thought for a while and said loudly, "Faith! Faith is always the most powerful in the world!"

"In a sense, your answer is exceptional." The door opened, and Virginia rushed windlike upstairs. The few people in the Common Room even failed to find out who that was.

Oh! Very good! When she took hold of the parchment she felt quite relieved. Today there's finally something not that terrible! She folded it carefully and thrust it into the donkey-skin pouch in front of her.

Then she fell down onto her bed. She had no strength left at all. Fortunately it's History of Magic in the afternoon, and she can have a sleep during that time. Now her condition is only too bad to go on indeed.


	19. Family pumps courage

**Chapter Nineteen**

Lord Voldemort failed again. Harry Potter escaped from his hand in just a millisecond. But it's not that he gained nothing. He picked up a photo from the ground in Godric's Hallow, the very photo he had seeked for for so long a time. He, Voldemort, was a step futhur toward his final success!

Virginia was really tired. This tiredness stems from her spirit, not from her study. It is because she finds that the final battle is very near now. The approaching feeling is much clearer than before.

The parchment helped her a lot indeed, but the listed sure and unsure things supress her in a way that make her feel rather intense, and she begins to doubt herself.

It's good that the winter holiday is approaching. Her mood was tamed a lot by the fact that she is going to see her parents again very soon.

She didn't tell her parents the exact time of her arrival, for she hoped that the family meet at home instead of on the platform, but when she arrived in King's Cross Station in London she truly wished to see her parents standing there welcoming her.

It isn't a big deal though. She consoled herself that she will be seeing them soon.

When she was standing behind the door of her house her heart thumped rather fast as though wishing to jump out of her chest. Her eyes felt sour. She was even afraid of pressing the doorbell. And then it was Mum's shout and the noise of them coming downstaires.

The door was dragged open instantaneously, and then a huge hug took her sight. She was immersed in the aroma of her mum and was enjoying the unbreathable feeling.

But if she cannot draw breath…. Well, it's not desirable then.

"Mum, I can't breathe….." She had to protest.

"Oh my dear, you've grown higher," Mum's voice trembled slightly but loosened her grip nevertheless. She looked up and down at her and tear filled her eyes, "Mum misses you so much, so much indeed."

"Oh Mum, I really miss you and Daddy as well, but can we go inside first?" Virginia's intense mood before going home was "Obliviate-d" by Mum's appearance, and now only happiness leaves.

Daddy was summoned home quick enough, and as to the meeting between the father and the daughter, we can just describe it as five times as intense as before when mum meets her. Virginia avoids describing the meeting as hard as she could.

And then it was talking through the entire night. Virginia talked about her experiences and couldn't stop at all about the fantastic magic. Of course she skipped or obscured several details and apologized to her parents for not being able to show her magic, for the students are banned from using magic outside school.

The parents feel pity for that, but they care more about Virginia herself. They asked whether the intense environment in the wizarding world have influenced the school, whether Virginia has made friends, how well she lived in the dormitory, how tired she studies daily, and whether she has encountered any problem during her life.

Virginia answered all these questions one by one and of course, the premise was not to let her parents worry about her.

The family chatted excitedly till daylight penetrated the house. Mum hurried Virginia to sleep, "The winter holiday is long, so we can't expect you to tell us all about your school life within the first day." Daddy called to his company and claimed that he needs to stay with his daughter these days and would not go to the company recently, and then he went upstairs with Mum to have a sleep, leaving Uncle James on the other side of the telephone to bitterly laugh to himself – this is the busiest time of the company.

Virginia took a bath and changed into her favorite pajame. Though not big, the bed provides her a warm harbor at home and fills her with an easiness not to be found at Hogwarts. This kind of comfort can only be found at home, besides those who love you deeply.

At this moment, she feels nothing is going to frighten her!

She pulled out her donkey-skin pouch and took out the parchment. She has to have an exact plan, no matter what she does in the future, a plan can help her remain composed and unflappable when problems strike.

For example, although she doesn't remember the exact date and time when Harry Potter broke into the Gringotts and took away the golden cup, she knows that after this Voldemort will realize that his Horcruxes are no longer sade and he will corden off Hogwarts to enforce its defense. He will arrange many Death Eaters around to guard over the secret passageways of Hogwarts.

Virginia didn't remember how Harry Potter came to Hogwarts, but she was sure about the increased defensive level at Hogwarts after the Gringotts event, and she knows she has to have countermeasures about that. She is a Mudblood and this is enough for the Death Eaters to notice her, though they might not have the energy to deal with her under Voldemort's command. She has to make plans and not to put her hope on possibilities. She can't always drink Felix Felicis and Obliviate people.

Her eyes now settle on the line that tells that Severus Snape will be bited to death by that snake.

She has thought before that if possible, she would wish to change this. She really doesn't want that man die in such a miserable…. She can find no word to describe his death, but she really cannot realize this dream.

She analyzed the problem reasonablly. Firstly, that death attack is in front of Voldemort, and she can never stop it in the name of this point. She isn't conceited enough to believe that she herself can fight against the powerful Dark Lord. Then, if it isn't that Severus Snape will die, Harry Potter might not have come and will not get the crucial memory to know that he himself is a Horcrux, and then he will not face death so unperturbedly, and whether the Dark Lord will die or not will remain a question. In addition, although she has only seen Severus Snape occasionally and talked to him once, Virginia is quite sure that the headmaster will never give Harry Potter the memory so freely unless he is about to die.

Apart from all these, even if she succeeded, what will happen?

For example, if she stopped her headmaster from going to see Voldemort, then will Voldemort give up killing Severus Snape to gain the ownership of the Elder Wand? Impossible. Things will be far worse. She will lose the advantage of knowing what will happen, and things will turn completely different from her memory. Maybe the headmaster will still die but failed to see Harry Potter before he dies, and the memory is not handed on, and then the world finds itself in complete disturbance.

Virginia turned around and looked at the parchment again. Don't think so much, she told herself, and do everything she can and leave the others to fate. Maybe she could try to warn her headmaster – "Professor, I think you should bring some more Stanch Potions with you."

And then, Virginia fell asleep with the parchment in hand.


	20. Hope derives from your own efforts

**Chapter Twenty**

Virginia felt she had not slept so well for quite a long time. She didn't wish to get up, but she finds out soon enough that it is already late in the morning. She opened the curtains and watched the snowy scenery outside of the windows.

Then she heard bird sing. No, she was sure that was a familiar bird song, not one from some birds outside. It was Gigi!

She ran out to the kitchen excitedly. Gigi's growingly rapid rhythem welcomed her. Gigi was jumping around in her cage, quite like a little sparrow, except that it is larger than a sparrow. Virgina was afraid that Gigi would wake her parents, so she tried to calm her down by obviously wasn't at all successful.

When Virginia thought she would sweat to death for it, Daddy came from behind and lifed Gigi's cage, "It's time to take it for a fly, it's got anxious already."

Take Gigi for a fly? What's that about? Virginia felt nonplussed suddenly, so Mum explained behind her, "You Dad, I don't know what's the matter, but after he returned from the Chinatown he said that you have to take birds for a fly to raise them, and so everyday she took Gigi out for a fly."

Virginia wanted to laugh. Gigi is a magical owl, not some pet bird, and even if it was, it's not gonna be flyed outside. Mostly you just take the cage and stroll around outside, or hang the cage on a tree, but taking it for a fly….. Haha, flying a bird!

And so she laughed out loud. She laughed with her hands on her stomach, laughed till her body has shrinked to a ball on the ground. Apparently she couldn't explain what's so funny, but she laughed and laughed, and at last she shouted, "Oh no, oh no, oh no, save me Mum, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna laugh to death, hahaha….."

And she tried to stand up but found her stomach not feeling well. She suffered from a spasm of muscle. What a typical aftermath of her unrestrained relax!

Happy periods always pass most quickly, and the family traveled to Ireland for a week. Virginia brought back a small box of chocolates of all flavor. Dad brought back several bottles of Whiskey; he bought them only because the seller said Ireland's Whiskey is more excellent than England's or America's.

So the holiday passed. Virginia felt she has only spent a few days at home before she has to return to school again. This time she asked her parents not to see her off to the station. She said she needed to have some practice this year, and they can send her next year if she wishes.

Then she took her luggage and got on a taxi. She tried not to look back, but her eyes are already filled with tears. She buried her face into her luggage and allowed her tears to flow. Parting after happy time is always unbearable.

Especially when you are not sure whether this will become the last time you see each other, alive.

Hogwarts is agained filled with nervousness. Rubeus Hagrid held a "support-Harry-Potter" party in his cabin during holiday but is now on the run from Death Eaters.

More people were killed by Death Eaters. Among those mentioned names only a few she had heard before.

Gringotts now fell low and is under Voldemort's control.

If you are in reality, you might find it hard to take yourself out of all these. Your classmates and professors are all influencing your emotions. Most people now lie their hopes on Harry Potter, the boy that can be anywhere in the world now.

The mere name is the only thing that gives them hope.

But Virginia knows the result. She tries to make herself calm and act as a bystander of all these.

In the final battle they send students out of school, but this is still much too unreliable for Virginia because it relies on others to ensure her safety. Virginia does not count on that. She has to find a place to hide herself. Then she thought of the Portkey. Yes, nothing is better than a Portkey. She can hide in her cottage in Spain, the one near the sea, and no one can hurt her there.

But afterwards she must go back, so she has to make another Portkey. She thought of Hogsmeade after deliberation. That was a place only students above the third year can go. But after the battle begins, there will be a lot of wizards staying around that area.

Now there should be a lot of Death Eaters there, but in the battle Hogsmeade is certainly much safer than Hogwarts. If she is careful she can surely protect herself there, and after the battle she can go back to school at once.

Problem is, she has never been to Hogsmead before, so she cannot make a Portkey. She has to go there for once to make her plan work.

She is very lucky. Hogwarts hasn't increased its defense yet, so students above third year can still visit Hogsmeade at weekends as long as they have the permission form of their parents. Voldemort still does not know that his Horcruxes are threatened by "The Boy Who Lived". But he will know very soon enough.

Virginia invited Olivia Hill to her dormitory with warm welcome and took out her chocolate from Ireland. She chose several wine-flavored chocolates for her and then gave her a Sleep Charm when she was not paying attention.

Virginia felt very guilty. She mumbled her apologies and took away the permission form. Then she pulled several hair from her and throwed it into the Polyjuice Potion, which is the only successful one after her six or seven failures.

She watched the Potion change and knew it succeeded. She settled Olivia on her bed and added another Sleep Charm, which will be able to keep her sleeping for a while, and the wine-flavored chocolate can make her feel a bit more comfortable. That's all she can do now.

Then she drank the potion and went out. She politely declined any company and walked on alone. She kept walking till she met the Shierking Shack and turned back abruptly.

Now she passed the Hog's Head and found a narrow passageway between Hog's Head and Three Broomsticks, both of which are now closed. The passageway is too narrow to be noticed by many people.

She cannot locate her destination in any of the houses because she hasn't asked permission from the owners. This passageway is very ideal because it's so well-hidden that anyone popping up suddenly in it won't be noticed by others unless you stare closely at it. And this is very near the school, so she can get back to Hogwarts very quickly.

She took out the already-prepared hairpin, a Christmas present from her parents, and walked into the passageway. She eliminated the Disillusionment Charm and muttered, "Portus."

It was very lucky. She saw the hairpin emit blue light and put it inside the pouch carefully.

On the way back to school, she was still afraid of seeing Olivia Hill. She feared that Olivia will be sitting there asking her why she had pulled her hair. And she has to give her a Confundus Charm in case there's any mistake.

She rushed into the bathroom at once when she was back, for she felt that the Potions is leaving her at the same moment. Returning to the dorm, she found Olivia there, still fast asleep. She felt really lucky but decided to send all the chocolates to her; Olivia seemed to like the chocolates previously.

Maybe I still have some conscience, Virginia sighed to herself.


End file.
